


An Unexpected Omega

by anarchycox



Series: Merlin A/B/O Trilogy [2]
Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Conventional a/b/o dynamics, Fluff, Harry Hart is Dead, Hidden Desires, Lots of Sex, M/M, Public Sex, and cuddles, but it is agreed upon dub con, everyone has agency and owns their choices, may verge on dub con, no fix it, no one tells these characters who they should or shouldn't be, so much BAMF, traditional alpha/omega roles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-06-02 01:19:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 37,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6544612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/pseuds/anarchycox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The world is moving past traditional views of omegas, but some institutions hold true to old ways, that omegas need to be protected, kept away from danger and stressful situations. This was certainly the Kingsman policy under Chester King. At most an omega could work in the tailor shop, maybe work their way up a little in research. Certainly never have any power, unless of course they hide who they are. But Chester is dead, and the new king decides it is time for people to come out of the shadows where they are hiding. Everyone figured Eggsy would ditch the alpha soaps and drugs - he's just too kind to be an alpha right? Only he's alpha through and through</p><p>What the hell are they all going to do when Merlin walks in, his natural omega scent finally let free after 30 years?</p><p>Eggsy certainly has a few ideas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this story came into my head 1. because I need more merwin a/b/o in the universe (heck i just need more a/b/o in the universe) and 2. there was some attempts of policing a/b/o that happened on certain forums - that no one should write old school conventional dynamics anymore they are horrible etc. My response was to immediately want to explore traditional dynamics in more depth.

**28 years ago**

He sat in front of the man, who had said his name was Merlin. 

"I'm old, and gadgets are one thing, but technology is moving quicker than I can keep up with. Computers are going to be everything soon enough and we need someone who can move with the changes." Merlin crossed his arms over his considerable waistline. "We also need someone who can keep up with the agents physically." Merlin wondered if that track and field championship was going to bite him in the ass, he just didn't think it would be like this.

They were in the Dean's office at the University of St. Andrews where he was going to be graduating soon with a dual degree in computers and engineering, with a minor in psychology. He knew he had been shadowed recently, that his files had been watched. "You've been studying me."

"I have. I keep my ear to the ground, look for talent. I would like to bring you in. I think that our company will be a good fit for you."

"I'll nae work for the British government." He said, he had the make of the man.

"Close son, but we are independent." Merlin said. "I want to train you to take over my job. If I am right, you'll take over within 7 years."

"There's a catch, there's always a catch." He said.

"Of course." Merlin agreed. "The day you graduate is the day you cease to exist. Everything you were disappears. Name, history... _everything_." Merlin emphasized. "We are a very traditional institution, certain people are more suited to certain jobs."

He sneered a little. "I can do the fucking job, no matter my status."

"I know, son." Merlin agreed. "But if you want to be on the cutting edge of design, want to shape the world, you have to hide who you are for the rest of your life. You will have no name anymore, until it is simply Merlin, your gender is Beta. We'll even be erasing your fingerprints. You take this job you lose much, but you also gain a great deal."

He thought about it. "My parents."

"Will grieve their son mightily when he dies in a car wreck on vacation." Merlin explained.

He nodded. He hated it, but he also knew his parents would hate it more, if he denied himself an opportunity like this. Plus once he was in charge he would find a way to contact them.

"I accept." He said.

"In two months then Gregor Bothain will cease to exist. Start working on erasing yourself from the world." Merlin said. He held out his hand. "Welcome to the Kingsman."

 

**17 Years Ago**

Merlin stared at Lee's body. The beta had come so close, just so damn close to changing the all alpha table.

"I'm sorry Merlin." Harry said. Merlin looked at him, understood what Harry meant. This had been a chance to prove Chester wrong and they wouldn't get it again.

When they returned to London, Merlin debriefed Chester who tried to look sad at the loss, but was just smug.

"You understand, of course you do Merlin, it is science. You can't fight science and evolution." Chester poured them both a glass of whiskey. "Alphas fight, betas think, and omegas nurture. Alphas for the table, betas for your wing, and omegas for the home. I know it was a fun experiment, one of your little tests that you so like, but you can see the failure of it."

"Of course sir." Merlin said. Merlin could think of 10 different ways to kill Chester right then and there. He went over his reports and went home for the day.

Harry was sitting in his living room. "The meet with Lee's family didn't go well. He has a son, never told us about him."

"I knew of him. Gary." Merlin sat down.

"Eggsy he prefers. Sweet looking boy. Sorry that he'll not have a father." Harry shook his head. "How did the meeting with Chester go?"

"As ye expect. His usual drivel about science and instincts." Merlin sighed. "I thought about killing him."

"No one else at the table is fit to be Arthur right now." Harry said.

"That is why he still lives." Merlin replied.

They sat in silence for awhile until Harry put a small pill bottle on the table. "I found a new supplier, the compounds are more stable, less likely to get the migraines, but they do cost more."

"I have the money." Merlin said.

"One day Merlin, one day, you'll be able to thumb your nose at him." Harry said as he kissed Merlin's head.

"Could tomorrow be one day?" Merlin asked leaning against his friend. "I've forgotten what I smell like." He curled into the alpha just a little, very tired of it all.

"I will do my best to make one day as soon as possible." Harry promised.

 

**1.5 Years Ago**

"His son Harry, really?" Merlin asked. "Chester will be a right git to deal with." The candidates had all been sent off after the drowning test and Harry had come to visit.

Harry smiled. "Eggsy is an alpha, it gives Chester a lot less ground to stand on."

Merlin narrowed his gaze. "Did ye help him the way you help me?"

"He truly is an alpha." Harry promised.

"No one in that room believes it." Merlin said. "Chester won't believe it."

"Biology is biology."

"It can be fought." Merlin answered, he had been doing it long enough to know. He sighed. "Do ye think he can make it?"

"He'll go the distance Merlin. He has the same spark as his father." Harry reassured him. 

All the agents kept an eye on the training and all gossiped that Eggsy had to be a beta, he just was so different from the other candidates. When he failed the dog test, Chester felt so vindicated.

Merlin hated that when he saw Harry die his first thought was,  _shit where will I get my suppressants_. He then allowed himself to mourn for one minute before getting to work.

If anyone at the table asked, Merlin could well confirm Eggsy was an alpha thanks to him not turning his glasses off with Tilde, but as ever he kept silent.

 

**6 Months Ago**

Merlin was grateful to be done temporary rule of the table and Ector was voted in as Arthur. All Merlin wanted is to go back to his computers and research. It had been hard without Harry, harder to hide, harder to cope. He wondered if it is even worth it anymore.

Ector stood. 

 _Oh Christ save me, a fucking speech_ , Merlin thought.

"Thank you for your confidence in me, I will do my best to serve this institution in the manner it deserves. Before we go further into the future, into fixing the mess Valentine created, I issue an edict, effective immediately. The rules concerning gender and role in the organization are hereby suspended. Any person can serve at any job in the Kingsman so long as they are fit for said job. We are joining the 21st Century. Anyone in our employ who has been forced to hide, no longer need do so." 

Almost all eyes turned to Eggsy, who was confused by the attention. Merlin was looking at the new Arthur in shock, Percival was watching Merlin.

Merlin finally smiled a little. It seemed in an odd sort of way Harry had kept his promise - by bringing in Eggsy he had brought about one day.

 

**9 Days Ago**

"So you really are an alpha." Roxy said sparring with Eggsy. A half dozen agents were working out, physical qualifications coming due soon. 

"Why do all of you keep saying that?" Eggsy grumbled. "Do you all want me to pop a fucking knot, prove it?"

Roxy flushed a little and took a swing that Eggsy easily blocked. "You just are different." She shrugged. "I know it is stereotyping, but you are just too nice."

Eggsy rolled his eyes, it had been something he had been dealing with all his life. "You're better than this Rox."

She looked at him. "I would have thought so too. I'm sorry." Eggsy put her on the mat and in a sleeper hold.

"Apology accepted." He grinned. They cleaned up a bit. "Hey where's Merlin, he hasn't be around the last couple days."

"Arthur said he got struck with a nasty bug. Should be back in a week or so." Roxy explained.

"Weird without him hovering." Eggsy said. "Used to feeling like he's just always around the corner. Like a nerdy badass ghost."

Roxy snorted. "You go ahead and call him that. Almost could sooner believe him an alpha than you."

"Hey, that's" Eggsy paused. "Actually, that's a fair point. Maybe he's been hiding all along." Eggsy joked.

 

**1 Hour Ago**

Merlin took a deep breath. Smelled the dark caramel scent he had long forgotten. It had taken a bit longer for all the drugs to work out of his system than he anticipated and knew there could be some long term effects he would still have to deal with. He drove out to the estate that day, needing the time to ready himself for the reactions.

He stepped out of his car and looked at the building. He walked up the steps and headed towards his office, greeting staff as he went by. He could hear footsteps scurrying in his wake, no doubt wanting to spread the word. He sat at his desk and waited.

Arthur was there in 20 minutes. He took a deep breath.

"You're omega." Arthur said stunned.

"Aye." Merlin agreed. Arthur stood there, not saying a word. Merlin started work, waiting for the man to do something.

Eggsy and three other agents ran into the office having heard the news.

The group all stood there, breathing him in, staring.

"I'm not an exhibit at the zoo. Say what you have to and move along before I get annoyed and launch some tear gas." Merlin said not looking up from his screens.

Still nothing from the group of alphas.

Merlin grabbed a mask and put it on. "One minute warning." He called.

The alphas were completely frozen.

Merlin through the small canister onto the ground. Finally, finally the alphas scattered and Merlin could properly work.

 _Harry would have been proud_ , Merlin thought. He wondered just how long it would take the Kingsman organization to get use to the fact that their Merlin was an omega. Spies the lot of them and they missed what was right in front of them for almost 30 years. Merlin allowed himself a moment of Harry like smugness before he began to put together a mission packet for Lancelot.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do not expect all updates to be this quick, i just had this chapter already planned out :)

Merlin was not surprised to be called into Arthur's office. He was actually surprised it took two months. He sat calmly across from Arthur and watched Arthur try to breathe him in. He was not going to lie, he enjoyed how the rest of the Kingsman had yet to completely accept he was in fact omega.

"I still smell like almost burnt caramel. I still am omega like I have been since the day I was born." Merlin said.

Arthur shook his head. "My apologies."

"I find it funny." Merlin said easily.

"How?" Arthur asked. "How did you hide it for so long?"

"The Merlin before me helped, and I took an absurd amount of black market drugs." Merlin smiled a little. "Harry helped."

Arthur sighed. "Of course he did." He looked at Merlin. "We need to talk to the disruption to the office."

"Very well." Merlin tapped on his clipboard. "My productivity is down a full 18% due to the agents coming to my office to 'talk' to me about something important. They are down productivity because of their desire to take care of me. i have had 6 different agents bring me tea, biscuits, and in one instance a blanket." Merlin smirked. "3 have made courting offers, fearing I had be trick into the job and must be suffering grievous trauma from hiding myself for so long."

"Are you?" Arthur asked.

"As long as the job is fine, I see no need to discuss my personal feelings with you." Merlin said calmly. "Have ye been asking all the agents about their feelings?"

Arthur nodded. "Fair point. What is the mission line up for the next while?" The two finished the meeting with ease.

************

After another month though, Merlin was no longer amused with his agents. He was watching through the glasses. "Dinadan, listen to me, ye need to go back the other way."

"No Merlin, this will be easier." Dinadan said. "All their troops are the way you want me to go, this will be quicker."

"Nae, it will not. Agent this is an order. Turn around and go the way I am telling you. If you continue on your path ye will run into a trap." Merlin roared into the comms.

"Shh, it's okay, don't work yourself up, I've got this taken care of. Do you need some t-" Dinadan turned a corner. "OH shit, what is that?"

"That would be the killing machine set up as a trap that my team has not had any luck hacking that ye could have avoided if ye listened to me. Good luck." And Merlin turned off his connection to the agent. He counted to one hundred and turned the comms back on. "Now agent did you need assistance?" He wished he was a better man and didn't get so much pleasure from the man's stream of curses words and general state of terror.

Merlin lead the agent through his mission successfully. "Agent I suggest you hurry to the extraction point, your ride will not wait much longer for you."

"Understood. Make sure you take a rest, though, Merlin, this was a stressful situation." Dinadan said as he ran.

Merlin gritted his teeth and his assistant quickly left the room. "Thank you for your concern agent. I will take it under advisement."

"Good, it has to feel better having us all look out for you doesn't it?"

"However did I survive without it?" Merlin replied he turned of the connection and filed his reports. He then went down to the gym where a couple agents were working out. He didn't bother going to the change room just slipped out of his shoes and socks, pulled off his sweater and vest and stood there in his trousers.

He wrapped his fingers and started to pound on the punching bag.

Eggsy, Tristan, and Kay all stared at the tattoo on Merlin's back. 

"What is that?" Eggsy asked looking at the central image.

"An ouroborous. A celtic knot ouroboros." Tristan said. "The snake eats itself, there is no beginning or end, it just goes around and never stops." He watched Merlin pound the bag, muscles moving, form perfect. "He's pissed. I really hope he doesn't kill some of us, no matter that we deserve it."

Kay frowned. "We haven't done anything."

Eggsy snorted. "Yeah you guys have, the oldest of you all has been treating him different since he came in here smelling all dark and sweet." Eggsy flushed a little. He didn't want anyone to know how that scent was affecting him. "Since when do agents bring him tea."

Tristan is quiet. "Harry sometimes did. Do you think he knew?"

"He was Harry of course he knew." Eggsy said. Merlin was still punching, occasionally throwing a knee or kick in.

Kay bit his lip, his alpha scent rising at what he perceived as an omega in trouble. "He's going to hurt himself. We should stop him, soothe him." 

"Bruv, you don't go near an animal that pissed off." Eggsy said.

"Let him work it out." Tristan agreed.

Kay keened just a little. "No, he's being too rough, he doesn't understand the strength he's using. He just needs a little calm down cuddle." Kay started to walk over.

"Kay, don't approach from the rear." Eggsy said.

Kay was emitting such a powerful scent that Merlin had to know he was coming but the man just kept punching the bag. When Kay got close, Merlin growled. "If ye come any closer, I will hurt you. Back the fuck off Agent."

Kay came closer. "Shh, omega, it's okay, you are okay. I am here." When he was within one foot of Merlin, the quartermaster spun around and in one clean motion broke Kay's arm.

"My name agent, is Merlin." He said. He glared at the other two. "Well, help this pathetic weak ass alpha to the infirmary, he needs medical attention." Merlin stalked off to the showers without grabbing his clothes.

It was damned difficult for Eggsy to hide his erection as he helped Kay to the medical wing.

****************************

A week later Arthur sat at the table with the half dozen agents who were in town. "Glasses on." Everyone appeared at the table. "Now who called this emergency meeting?"

"You did Sir." Roxy said confused. Many other agents nodded.

"No, I didn't." Arthur explained. 

Merlin stood. "I did."

"Oh shit." Eggsy said. Tristan, Percival, and Roxy all nodded. "We're fucking toast." More nods of agreement.

Merlin nodded politely to Arthur and then looked at the table. "Right here and now I say this. The next of you who forgets who I am, will suffer more than a broken arm. I was fine when everyone was in my office smelling me, and trying to figure it all out. I endured the tea and blankets and soft tones, because it was amusing to watch you all be fucking idiots. The courting offers were charming enough, but starting to be annoying. All this I could handle, because I thought it would all pass, that things would get back to normal. And then ye started to ignore my orders." Merlin pulled up the footage of Dinadan and a couple other instances. "Ye decided that you knew better than your quartermaster, and almost got yourselves killed. Why?"

There was no answer from the table.

"WHY?" Merlin said. He slammed his clipboard on the table. "Because I smell fucking different? Is it revenge that I pulled the wool over your eyes for almost 30 years? Are ye that petty? I am still doing my fucking job, it would be nice if you all got on board and did yours."

"Merlin, it is just..." Bors spoke up. "You hid for 30 years. Drugs, lies, who knows what. That has to have affected you. We just want to take care of you a little, show you that you matter." A couple of the other alphas nodded.

"I know I matter, I am the fucking quartermaster of the Kingsman. You all have saved the world? Fuck that shite, I'm the reason you were able to do that. Every single fucking win any of you have ever had is because of me and my department. Every goddamn time, we save the day, it is because of all the fucking work I've done before ye go out the door." Merlin was yelling and a few of the alphas were trying to subtly back away from the rage growing in his scent. There was no omega distress, it was pure fury. "And as for who know what? I know what. I know everything I gave up for this job, everything I've done for it. I chose that. I FUCKING CHOSE THAT. The previous Merlin was very clear what I would need to do and I did it happily. You talk of the toll it must have been on me - do ye think I am somehow unaware of what I did to myself? I watched from the shadows as my parents were told I died in an accident, I lived with migraines, the loss of my scent, the loss of a sex drive, the loss of my fucking name. I chose that every single fucking day for the last 29 years and damn all of ye to hell for trying to take that from me, trying to make it like that choice didn't matter."

Merlin was breathing heavily. Arthur and Percival both looked thoughtful, several agents looked ashamed. Roxy was grinning, pleased at the tirade.

And Eggsy was staring at him with a look no one could begin to define.

"If ye don't accept me as your quartermaster, then I quit and good fucking luck replacing me." Merlin finally said.

As a whole the entire table paled at the thought of having to replace Merlin.

"I fucking thought so. Tuck the fucking knots away and get in line again." Merlin stalked out of the office.

"Agents, next person who treats Merlin different than they used to will be suspended." Arthur said when he could speak again.

"Yes sir." Everyone agreed.

"Dismissed." Arthur said.

******************************

That night Eggsy was having dinner with his mum and Daisy.

"Hey Ma?" Eggsy asked as he peeled potatoes. 

"Yes?" Michelle looked at Eggsy, she knew his serious tone.

"Any advice on courting a very scary older omega who could tear me in half without blinking?"

Michelle paused and thought. "Sorry honey. I don't think I should give any advice no matter what." She rubbed the fading bite on her neck.

"Yeah. Yeah I'll figure it out." Eggsy said. He'd figure Merlin out. He had to, the man was his mate, his fucking perfect match. He just had to get Merlin to see that.

Preferably without any broken limbs in the process.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Merlin sighed in relief. It was a Galahad mission. Eggsy and Roxy had both adapted well to his status but they had known him a year and a half versus some of the agents who had been here as long as he had. "Galahad, ready to enjoy yourself?"

"Hell, yeah. I have to seduce the guy, steal plans from his safe, and set him up for a fall. This is the dream isn't it? Proper spy life according to the movies." Eggsy said as he adjusted the tie of his tux.

"Would think by now you would know it is nothing like the movies." Merlin said. 

"Nah, it's more like it than we admit. So my mark, likes sweet alphas, no posturing, that's why we sent me right?" Eggsy grinned. "Because I'm sweet as pie?"

Merlin snorted. "Pie laced with arsenic perhaps. But I suppose sweet enough."

"Is that what you want?" Eggsy asked looking in the mirror.

"What for what?" Merlin was a little confused.

"For a mate. An alpha who's sweet as pie?" Eggsy asked.

"And what make ye think at this point in my life I want a mate?" Merlin asked. "Agent Galahad, time to go to work."

Eggsy snapped a salute. "Sir, yes Sir."

Merlin rolled his eyes. He tracked Eggsy through the party and tried not to think about how it bothered him to see Eggsy flirt with the older man. He wasn't as old as Merlin but closer than not. He wondered how Eggsy felt about older omegas. Not that it mattered. Merlin watched Eggsy work his magic occasionally feeding him intel and when it came time for them to retire, Merlin tried to distract himself when he heard Eggsy moan. An hour later and he heard snores and then footsteps. Eggsy got dressed in the washroom. "Eggsy that dart you gave him with the alcohol he had should give you a two hour window, more than enough time to gather the files and leave the incriminating evidence." Merlin said. "Are ye well?" He asked quietly.

"Fine Merlin, everything went to spec." Eggsy turned on the water and spoke very very softly, it was barely even a whisper. "I thought of you the whole time." Eggsy turned off the water and went hunting through the house.

Merlin decided that he had misheard.

He was sure of it when Eggsy returned and acted the same as ever.

***********************************

The next mission Eggsy went on required no subtlety. Instead Merlin directed him through wave after wave of armed thugs and watched as Eggsy leapt around them like it was nothing. "See we've been doing our gymnastics more again." Merlin commented idly. "Take the next right Galahad."

"Yes Merlin." Eggsy said. "So gymnast body? That your type?"

"Wouldn't know." Merlin said. "Eggsy hit the floor." Eggsy dropped quickly and avoided a missile to the face. "Thanks guv."

"Keep moving Galahad, ye need to lay those charges." Merlin ordered, but he was pleased at how quickly Eggsy responded to his commands. The problem agents had fallen in line, but there was this split second pause and only someone with his training would even see it, but he did.

Eggsy made it to the the power hub of the outpost and began to lay the charges. "Wouldn't know what by the way?" Eggsy asked as he put everything in place.

"My type." Merlin said. He began to code in the sequence for Eggsy's charges not really paying attention to the conversation.

Eggsy paused in the middle of his work, though he could hear men trying to take out the door he had sealed. "How do you not know the type you are interested in?" Eggsy was stunned.

"I like alphas, I like men." Merlin said as his fingers moved quickly. "After that I've only had sex twice in the last 28 years, so don't really know what does it for me. Get back to work Galahad." Merlin said sternly as Eggsy stayed still.

Eggsy got back to work as the door started to cave in. "But like watching telly or a film, hell you've seen all the table naked at some point and until rox all male alphas, so you have to know your type. Are you asexual?" Eggsy asked.

"Nae." Merlin said coding in the last numbers. "The problem with black market drugs, is they are black market Eggsy, often trials, often mucked with. For the most part the things that hid my status shut down my status. The problem with fighting biology like that is that it is a zero sum game, kill the omega part of ye, kill your sex drive. The only times I had it back were drug switches cycled it back in briefly. If it helps in college where I fucked like the 20 year old I was I did like clever athletic types. Now get out of there these are set to blow in three minutes."

Eggsy ran. Merlin rather forgot the conversation as he was too busy dealing with a mishap in R&D and explaining yet again to his team that they could not try to make quidditch an actual thing.

**************************

It was late and Merlin was tired but he wouldn't leave his station. Tristan was overdue his check in and Lancelot and Dinadan had gone after him. Merlin kept combing the video from Tristan's glasses, running other programs, anything he could think of. He had been doing it for almost 15 hours straight now.

He could smell Eggsy approaching. He smelled of peat smoke, the grass in spring after a soft rain, clover in the sun. It was a cheerful scent for an alpha, but that smoke gave it a darker edge. He waited for Eggsy to convince him to take a break but the lad just sat beside him. 

"What do you need to keep you going until his is found?" Eggsy asked.

"I'm allowed a stimulant from medical in 90 minutes so strong coffee and a distraction. I need to watch this video without thinking too much, the piece is right there, but I'm actually too focused if that makes sense at all." Merlin growled and allowed himself a moment to take his glasses off and rub his eyes.

"I'll get coffee." Eggsy said. He came back with coffee and some jaffa cakes. "He's tough and more he's wily. He'll have gone to ground and they'll find him." Eggsy said.

"I know." Merlin's tone was sharper than he meant it to be. "I know." He softened his voice. "I'm not ready to lose another agent. Not yet."

"Tell me about the Harry you knew." Eggsy said. He pulled his feet up onto the chair and leaned his chin on them.

Merlin began the video feed from the beginning again. "He was Harry." Merlin said. "You can't explain him, not really. He was the best and worst at everything."

"He was brilliant." Eggsy protested.

"Aye, and mad. He would fall off a cliff and land in the softest moss. He would break an arm, but doing so would actually save his life. He abhorred violence but was so very good at it." Merlin paused the screen and zoomed in a bit. "There. What was that?" Merlin muttered as he rewound the footage just a little.

"You said he would have been proud of me, do you really think that?" Eggsy asked.

"Yes, Eggsy, you should have heard him crow about how you did on all your tests." Merlin said.

"Cept the last one. Wasn't so happy about that." Eggsy said. 

"You have to understand Eggsy that for however progressive Harry was, how much he helped me against the rules, I didn't sit at the table. He utterly believed an omega could be a handler and quartermaster, but no matter that I could outrun him, out shoot him,  when I would ask what it was really like to sit at the table he would say it wasn't for my sort. And as for you, you were also fighting history; your father shot the dog, that is why we had the field test they were too well matched. He couldn't understand how you couldn't do it. An alpha who couldn't do something like that? No he would have difficulty with it." Merlin explained.

"He would have voted against me sitting at the table wouldn't he?" Eggsy said. He won his seat at the table through blood and saving the world and still a few opposed.

"I couldn't say." Merlin replied, though that was an answer in and of itself. He then smiled. "There, look." He pointed.

"I don't see anything." Eggsy said. "He rounded a corner."

"He ran his hand on the wall there." He sent word to the team to go look at that corner. He sank down in his chair, head resting on the back. "Harry would have been proud of you Eggsy, he really would have."

"Are you proud of me?" Eggsy asked.

"Every day. Ye are an asset to me...to the Kingsman." Merlin said, trying to make it a more blanket statement.

***********************

"Do you want to go back on the suppressants?" Eggsy asked while they were in the gym. He had asked Merlin to spar with him, wanting a decent partner while Rox was still away.

"Nae." Merlin said dodging him easily and putting him on his back. He held out a hand and helped Eggsy up. Eggsy stumbled into Merlin a little and Merlin breathed in that earthy scent, with the salt of sweat. "No, I couldn't go back on them now. They did honestly kill my scent so much and for so long that I had forgotten it, I can't go back to that loss again." They fought for almost an hour and for every time Eggsy got Merlin on the ground, Merlin had him there twice.

They hit the shower and talked of plans for the weekend and new things in R&D with Eggsy weighing in on what he thought might be useful.

Once they were dressed and ready to leave Eggsy smiled.

"You've been off them for months now, right Merlin?" Eggsy asked.

"Aye." Merlin agreed. He tilted his head a bit. "Why?"

Eggsy winked. "Just wondered if that sex drive had come back yet." He left without another word.

************************

Merlin called Eggsy into his office. "Why are ye breaking into old files?" Merlin asked.

"Research." Eggsy said. "Want to understand how to handle missions better, how to understand the workings of the Kingsman more."

"We have information readily available for those sorts of questions." Merlin said. "We can you and Roxy the intro packets."

"Yeah sure, but that don't mean it's the whole story. I'd rather just find as many mistakes as successes. Learn just as much from them." Eggsy said.

"Perhaps, though we don't have a big list of mistakes here." Merlin said. "But why break through three different levels of security to go to the old paper files that haven't been converted yet?" Merlin asked.

"For funsies?" Eggsy suggested.

JB got to stay with Merlin while Eggsy ran the course three times in the rain.

************************

"Shit, buggering fucking shit. Eggsy run!" Merlin roared into the comms just as Eggsy unlocked the door. Eggsy didn't think, just did as Merlin asked and realized he was being chased by at least a dozen men. "Where the fuck did they come from? This places was only supposed to have a skeleton crew." Eggsy yelled as he fled down the hall. He heard barking. "Oh come the fuck on, they have dogs?"

"Aye, and ye best believe I'll be looking into what went wrong." Merlin was tearing through the schematics he had. "Garage. They have a garage, if there are still some cars, light most on fire, steal a fast one and get the hell out. Stairs 10 metres on your left, two flights down." He watched Eggsy run and guided him to the garage. Eggsy syphoned some gas out of the few cars in there. "Seriously? It looks like a mini cooper from the 90s is going to be my best bet. Jesus fucking Christ I'm gonna kill someone for this." 

"Try killing the men who will be there in less than a minute." Merlin said. Eggsy got more gas onto the ground.

"Hey Merlin, just so you know, because you haven't seem to have caught on been flirting with you." Eggsy said.

"How is this the time?" Merlin yelled. He was busy trying to hack the building's systems.

"You said I had a minute." Eggsy replied. He started the Mini Cooper up and pulled out his lighter. "When I get back, just so you are aware, I'm gonna be fucking courting you Merlin." He threw the lighter into the pooling gas and hopped into the car and peeled out. "Hope you got that garage door working."

Merlin hit a few more keys and sure enough the door opened just as the grenade exploded. "Whooo, suck on that bad guys." Eggsy cheered. 

"Agent ye are expected back in the office ASAP." Merlin growled a little. He shut off his comms.

Eggsy rolled into the estate a few hours later in the sad Mini Cooper. "Is it okay that I think I might like this car? I mean it's a shit car, but I wanna keep it. Can I keep it?" Eggsy asked. 

Merlin stalked over to him and opened his mouth, but closed it. "Go shower agent and file your report and then come speak to me." Merlin stalked away and went to run on the treadmill for a time.

Eggsy found him still running. He breathed in that dark, sweet scent. God Merlin smelled perfect. "Merlin." Eggsy said.

Merlin turned off the machine and stalked over. "What the hell were you doing joking about while on a mission that got so cocked up like that?"

"I wasn't joking." Eggsy said.

"Of course ye were." Merlin said. "Ye couldn't have been doing anything but."

"I wasn't joking." Eggsy repeated. "I'm not like the rest. I know you can take care of yourself. I don't want to change anything at work here. You are the fucking guv here ain't nothing going to change that." Eggsy took a few steps forward, just into the edge of Merlin's personal stay. "I want to court you Gregor Bothain."

Merlin froze just a little. "How do ye know that name?"

"Took you awhile to clear me out of the paper files. It was only in one file, just two sheets." Eggsy said. "But the files were well organized so wasn't hard to find, you just had to want to." Eggsy said. He took a step closer. "Can I court you Gregor?"

Merlin grinned sharply and grabbed Eggsy and flipped him onto the ground. "Ye can try." He gave Eggsy a swift kiss, barely there. "But ye do nae fuck around on missions again or I'll break your balls and not in a fun way." And then Merlin was gone.

Eggsy stayed on the ground and grinned.

A chance.

Eggsy could do an awful lot when given a chance.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eggsy tries to court Merlin

Eggsy had been given a chance. But it was one he knew could easy be taken away. Now he just had to figure out how to court the omega. He didn't bother asking his mum again, her advice would be to be himself and all that mum stuff which he knew. He needed to impress Merlin, if he got the first thing wrong then it was all over, wouldn't be a second chance at this.

He thought of all the people he could ask for help and then the answer was simple. He went into Merlin's office and sat across from him. "So Merlin."

Merlin spun in his chair a little. "So Eggsy."

"I am in need of advice." Eggsy said as he crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair.

"It is smart of a gentleman to seek aid when you require it." Merlin offered as he leaned back in his own chair.

They stared at each other, polite smiles on their faces waiting for the other to crack.

Eggsy faltered first. "Give me a hint. Just one, come on guv. Just one hint on how to properly court you. I really don't want to cock this up."

"I rather thought the end result you wanted was in fact a cock up something." Merlin's grin was positively wicked.

Eggsy stared at him wide-eyed. "Did you just make a dick joke, Gr-"

Merlin sat forward quickly. "Nae. Ye never say that name here again. That is mine, it doesn't belong to the Kingsman or their walls."

Eggsy nodded. "Okay Merlin. Are there places I can say it?"

"Maybe. Eventually." Merlin said. "But it doesn't cross your lips again until I say it can. Clear?"

"Yes." Eggsy said. "So you have a sense of humour."

"Have to, to work here. If you don't see the absurdity of who and what we are, then you'll die too quick." Merlin said. "You want advice on how to convince me to become your mate."

"It would be helpful yeah." Eggsy agreed. "I mean there is those rule books they give you in school about protocol and all that, but I dunno don't feel like it applies to you."

"Oh and why wouldn't I be worth the care those books suggest taking?" Merlin asked mildly.

Eggsy paused and looked at him. "Because they are based on passive takers of gifts and courting. You ain't passive about shit." Eggsy said. But he thought about it. "So actual suggestions, just don't feel like you, but the care implied in all those manuals, the showing the omega that you know their worth, that part I stick with."

Merlin's smile grew more fond. "A good start. And tell you what, I'll even give you five hints."

"Why five?" Eggsy asked.

"I like the number five." Merlin said, like it was obvious. "5 words to help the alpha claim his omega."

Eggsy leaned forward, actually pulled out his phone so he could write them down.

"Order. Green. Woods. Encryption. Home." Merlin nodded. "Now I have work to do, be on your way lad."

"Of course Merlin." Eggsy smiled and went to the door. He paused. "That's actually more helpful than I thought you would be." Eggsy's smile grew. "You want me to court you. You want me to get it right."

Merlin didn't look up from his screen. "I have work agent." Merlin said.

Eggsy left without another word.

************************

Merlin sits in Arthur's office. "What did I do now?" He asked frustrated. "I've been here more under you than all my years with Chester."

"Well not like I am loving this. But official policy when members high in ranking engage in actions that drastically change their life is to have a meeting."

"My switch to boxer briefs can hardly be considered a drastic change." Merlin said dryly. "Though I also changed my soap. More vanilla in it, I feel it compliments my natural scent well."

"Were you this much of a shit to Chester?" Arthur asked.

"Nae, I was too busy not killing him to tease." Merlin replied.

"How close did you come?" 

"I'm not sure that is a question you want me to answer, is it Arthur?" Merlin smiled politely. "Now to the point of this meeting - what drastic change am I engaged in?"

"Agent Galahad has filed paperwork." Arthur allowed a smile to slip. "Paperwork for an inter-department courting relationship with an intended goal of full bond mating."

Merlin quirked a brow. "Did he now?"

"You need to sign off on it as well." Arthur said. He held out the sheets. "If you want to that is." Arthur looked at Merlin. "I know that a few of the agents tried courting offers and that you turned them down quickly and firmly. Say the word and these pages never existed."

Merlin smiled and signed the paperwork. "File that properly in my file, Arthur."

He walked through the halls and found Eggsy on the gun range. "Arthur it seems has extra paperwork to file." He said as he went to the wall and unlocked a rifle.

Eggsy paused. "He does?"

Merlin stepped up. "Live round." He called and fired perfectly. He put the gun back and turned to Eggsy who was just watching him. "He does."

"You like signed it and everything?" Eggsy asked.

"And everything." Merlin said. "You're pulling to the right adjust your stance."

"You smell nice." Eggsy blurted out. "I like the caramel and I like it when you also smell like cordite and oil from all your various work."

"You smell like the earth back home." Merlin replied. "It is a smell I had long forgotten. I've avoided Scotland since starting this job. There is a comfort in your scent I didn't expect to find in an alpha." Merlin smiled a little. "Ye took a good first step lad."

"Can I take you to dinner?" Eggsy asked. "Just to the pub or something."

"No. I have two missions heading out, I'll be busy the next few days." Merlin said. He waited for Eggsy to protest.

"Okay, when you have the time then." Eggsy replied.

"Company for lunch though, would not be objectionable. It would remind me to eat." Merlin offered.

"I'll see you tomorrow at noon then." Eggsy put his gun away in the case, and leaned into Merlin just a little. He breathed Merlin in. "Your smell makes me hungry." Eggsy whispered.

Merlin just said. "Tomorrow, I like burritos."

***************************

Three weeks later Eggsy stood in front of Merlin incredibly proud of himself. He held a box. "What's this then?" Merlin asked. "A gift? Is it a courting gift?" His voice was curious. Eggsy had yet to give him one and he had been waiting for it to happen.

"Yup." Eggsy bounced on his toes. "And it is a good one." He passed the small box to Merlin.

Merlin opened it and laughed a little. "Into the Woods. Ye are taking me to a production of Into the Woods." He looked at Eggsy. He tried his best not to show how charmed he was by the interpretation of the hint. "Though I don't recognize the theatre listed."

Eggsy grinned a little. "Yeah well I came up with the idea and then sort of had to work back a bit find somewhere that had it on. It's at the University of London. Senior project for drama students and art department." Eggsy paused. "That's okay right?"

"Aye. It suits well indeed. In fact I think I'll even wear a suit to mark the occasion."

"Oh I bet you look hot as fuck in a suit." Eggsy said.

Merlin smiled. "I do indeed. In fact it is why I wear the jumpers. I started in a Kingsman suit but it was deemed too distracting for staff and agents alike how they all fell and swooned at my feet. Chester ordered me to change my attire so as to cause less strife in the office. The duels for my  hand were bloody indeed."

"I have no idea if you are joking or not." Eggsy said.

"Pick me at 7:15." Merlin replied.

"I don't know where you live." 

"You're clever I'm sure you'll figure it out." Merlin turned back to his computers.

Eggsy knocked on his door at 7:13. He nodded when he saw Merlin, "Yup hot as fuck in a suit. How is that fair? Seriously how is you looking this good fair?" He breathed in. "You also smell nice. Is that vanilla?"

Merlin smiled. "I changed my soap."

"I like it. You smell like a sundae and look like you could burn the earth to the ground. It's a good combination."

"Thank you." Merlin looked at Eggsy smiled slowly. "You look nice as well."

Eggsy grinned. "You like? We look like we swapped." He looked at his arms. "I get why you do the sweater thing, it's comfy." 

Merlin gave him a slow look up and down. Eggsy waited as Merlin took in the tweed trousers, green sweater, with white dress shirt underneath. 

Merlin reached out a finger and touched. "Tis very soft, and looks very good on you. I do like green."

"You said. Do I lose points if I say my mum helped dress me for tonight?" Eggsy asked. 

"Nae, may even gain a couple." Merlin said. "We should go, I hate to be late."

"Being friends with Harry must have been a pain in the arse." Eggsy said as they walked to the car.

"You have no idea." Merlin agreed.

They enjoyed the show and went out for a late snack after. It was almost 2am when Eggsy took Merlin home.

"This was good." Eggsy said as they sat in the car.

"It was."

"Want to tell me why I feel sixteen right now?" Eggsy asked. "Why I'm more nervous than that first date with Janice Carson to the fucking school dance?"

Merlin smirked. "I have no idea."

"Tosser." Eggsy grumbled. 

Merlin leaned over a little and kissed Eggsy. "Ye are doing very well lad." It was a soft kiss gone quickly and Merlin stepped out of the car. He leaned back down and looked in. "And to answer a question from weeks ago, aye my sex drive has come back in full swing." He shut the car door and went into his house without looking back.

Eggsy sat there for twenty minutes thumping his head against the wheel.

******************************

It was another few weeks of lunches and talks and sparring together. If Eggsy wasn't out in the field there was a good shot he was bugging Merlin. All the other Kingsman had started to make book on when Merlin would put the poor besotted lad out of his misery.

There was a split amongst the bets, one that thought Merlin wasn't that interested and was just playing with the young alpha and were betting on when Merlin would call off the courting. A few though were betting on when Merlin would come in with a claim bite on his neck.

Eggsy had thought it had all be going well and had been working on a fairly large courting gift when he heard about the one wager. He felt like a kicked dog. He went and ran the course a couple times and beat up the bags at the gym, but his scent stayed sad all day and he got word he had to do a quick run to Lisbon.

Merlin was giving him a quick rundown and paused. "Galahad, are ye fit for this mission?"

"Yeah guv, it's fine." Eggsy said with a smile. "If I'm supposed to look like a fuck about English tourist, a suit won't do."

"R&D has been working on a few things, they'll see you right." Merlin moved a little closer. "Lad, you smell sad. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Eggsy said. "I should go." But he didn't quite move. "You like me courting you right? Like this isn't some weird game is it? That you decided I was good for a trial run before you moved onto a different alpha, one that suited you better?" Eggsy took a breath. "Because I thought we were doing good, getting to know each other and the gifts I was giving you were well received, but you always sort of step back and haven't given an acknowledgement gift in return, which if we are quasi going by the book, then that should have happened by now and then I would give you the big gift - and you smell happy when we're together I think, but maybe that is as pals or something, like I'm a friend replacement for Harry and hey being your friend would be great, I want to be your friend, but I want more than that, because you are clever, and gorgeous, and smell fucking perfect for me, everything I've dreamed of since I bloody presented, and I just can't figure it all out." Eggsy remembered to breathe and waited for Merlin to respond.

Merlin looked at him. "Ye are late for R&D and are wheels up in 40 minutes, you best hustle agent."

Eggsy firmed his jaw. "Yes sir." He figured that was answer enough. He was running behind enough that he was just thrown a travel bag and told it was all self explanatory and he owed them for such pain in the ass design. Eggsy said thanks and hurried to the plane. He moped for the first twenty minutes of the flight and then shook it off. He read the brief, it was a simple one and he'd be home late that night. He opened the travel bag expecting to see whatever the Kingsman considered travel clothes and instead saw his clothes. His trackies and trainers, his snapback. He put it all on and was confused why his shoes felt heavier than they should.

Eggsy tapped the side of his glasses. "Hey Merlin, why do the shoes feel a little janky?"

"Do ye have any idea how hard it was to adapt Kingsman gadgetry to bloody winged trainers?" Merlin said. "R&D blew up a dozen pairs before we had them situated." Merlin quickly ran down all the gadgets and tech in the clothes and ended with. "And your watch has a laser."

"You hate lasers." Eggsy said.

"You once made a joke." Merlin replied, voice a little stroppy.

Eggsy looked in the mirror. "Is this how you see me?"

"It is a facet of you." Merlin replied. "You shed it for the suit and other Kingsman looks and I fail to see why. You are comfortable in them and love the shoes. Ye can have both Eggsy, the trainers and the oxfords." Merlin said quietly. "I don't want you to forget..." He sighed. "I don't want you to lose all the pieces that brought you to our door. There are very good pieces in there."

Eggsy smiled softly. "Thanks Merlin."

"Plus the track pants show off your assets quite well." Merlin said.

Eggsy laughed. "Don't try to hide a nice thing behind a joke." He looked at his shoes and put the dots together. "Would all this perhaps be an acknowledgement gift?"

Merlin was quiet as the plane began its descent. "Aye alpha. It is. Complete your mission and I'll see you later." Merlin signed off. 

Eggsy looked at his winged trainers, looked like it was time to execute his endgame plan after all.

*************************

Merlin was sitting at his computer when an email notification popped up. He smiled as he saw it was from Eggsy's personal account, not his work one. Only he couldn't open it. He tried again and a message popped up a series of numbers and letters. He grinned and cracked his knuckles, no way could Eggsy come up with an encryption that Merlin couldn't crack. He worked on it between missions and meetings, impressed that it was harder than he expected but the next morning he had it open.

Just in time too. It seemed he had a lunch appointment. Merlin collected himself and went to the provided co-ordinates. Eggsy was waiting outside and smelling incredibly nervous. "Lad?" Merlin asked.

"Right. I might have done something stupid." Eggsy said.

"I only have six amnesia darts." Merlin replied.

"No, I mean. Look in there is your big gift, like your please accept me as your mate gift." Eggsy said.

Merlin looked at the tea house. "Ye didn't buy the place or something did ye lad?"

"Wot? No, how would that feel like home?" Eggsy said. "Just, just if I screwed up, please give me another chance okay?"

Merlin nodded and went in the tea shop with Eggsy. He looked around quickly and wondered what damage control he would have to do. Eggsy pointed and Merlin looked over. He nodded and went to the table.

"Ma, Da." Merlin said as he sat down.

"Gregor, you are bald." His father said. He ran a hand through his grey hair.

"I think he looks smart." His mother said as she patted his hand.

"Thank you Ma. I trust you two are well?" Merlin asked.

Eggsy sat and stared at the three of them. They were making small talk like they had seen each last week, not almost 30 years ago. They sipped their tea and ate cake and talked of the weather back home. If it wasn't for the scent of joy coming off of Merlin, Eggsy would have wondered if this had been a waste.

After an hour Merlin's mother began to hunt in her purse. "Your lad has put us up in a lovely suite and I could use a rest. Tomorrow we'll visit your house and maybe do some touristy things."

"Yes Ma." Merlin said. He watched her pull out a small fabric roll and froze a little. 

"Do you want this son?" His mother asked. 

Merlin looked at his Da who gave him a small nod and a pat on his hand.

"Thank you." He said quietly as he took the roll.

"Will you be joining us tomorrow Mr. Unwin?"

"If Merlin wants me there sure." Eggsy was so lost. This was not what he expected at all.

"Ye are welcome with my family." Merlin replied very formally. 

They left and arranged a time to meet at Merlin's place the next day. Merlin asked Eggsy to come home with him for a chat.

They walked in silence and Eggsy just waited to be kicked to the curb, told that he overstepped. Merlin let them into the house and closed the door behind them.

"I'm sorry Merlin. I thought it was a good gift. I -" Eggsy didn't get another word out because had him crushed against the wall. Merlin's scent was chaotic and he was kissing Eggsy and babbling in at least three languages before a great gulping sob came out and he just collapsed a little and rested his head on Eggsy's shoulder. Eggsy felt a wet patch grow on his shoulder. 

Eggsy stayed very still as all the emotion poured out of Merlin. He lifted a hand and wrapped it around the back of Merlin's neck and pressed down on his scent gland. He rubbed his cheek against Merlin's head. Scented him just a little.

"Hush Merlin, it's okay. I have you safe."

"Gregor. Right now call me Gregor." Merlin said into Eggsy's neck. It took a few more minutes to pull away. "Thank you alpha." Merlin said.

"I thought I did bad." Eggsy said.

"Nae but to show emotion in public well that would never do." Merlin looked at Eggsy. "Ten years they thought I was dead before I managed to get them word. But I had to be so careful, so cautious. A message a year to let them know I was alive. Three five minutes phone calls in the last 12 years. And once, just once we passed each other in an airport. Harry helped with that, we couldn't stop, couldn't talk, but for a second strangers just happened to pass each other on the way to destinations and Ma looked so proud and Da tried not to cry and I didn't dare turn my head. And you brought them to me." Merlin pulled Eggsy into a desperate kiss. " _You gave them to me_."

"Arthur agreed it was horseshit that you had to suffer like that." Eggsy said. "Got permission first, like I knew you would want. Talked with them a bit when making the plans. Your Ma is a little scary, where you get it from I take it."

"Aye, she's hell on wheels." Merlin agreed. He bent and picked up the fabric roll off the ground. "She never would have given me this, if she dinnae like you. Giving me this means my family approves of you as my potential alpha."

Eggsy grinned. "Really? Because I couldn't get a read on them."

"They liked you very much. They'll express it better tomorrow, here in the privacy of my home." Merlin said.

"So what's in there then, that is so important?" Eggsy asked.

Merlin pulled Eggsy into his living room and sat him down on the sofa. Merlin sat beside him. "50. I'm turning fifty on my next birthday. Are ye sure Eggsy, are you sure Alpha that I am the one you want?"

Eggsy's face was solemn. "Yes I am completely sure. Gregor, you are absolutely who I want."

"Then here." Merlin said as he handed the fabric roll to Eggsy. "Alpha I accept ye into my life and accept your claim on my body and heart. I will be proud to be your omega."

Eggsy smiled at the old fashioned words. He opened the roll, curious and there was a slim brown collar, symbols etched into the side, a lock and a ring for a leash. He stared at it stunned. He looked at Merlin who was smiling.

"Gregor, you don't need to do this. I don't need to collar you, I'm not like the other alphas on staff, we don't need this sort of stuff." Eggsy stammered, still staring at the old fashioned item.

"Oh." Merlin said. He faltered a little and the scent that had been so happy a moment ago, diminished greatly. "No. Of course not. Good, right, exactly so. I'm relieved you feel that way. I'll just put this away then." Merlin said. He rolled up the collar and hurried away.

Eggsy stayed on the couch, and wondered what the hell just happened. 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In his determination to not be that sort of alpha, Eggsy is totally that sort of alpha.

Eggsy sat there on the couch utterly confused. Every thing had been going so well. Fairly well. He was still surprised by how calm they had been at the tea shop, and then Merlin's breakdown in the hall had broken his heart but Merlin had accepted his offer.

Then the fucking collar.

Eggsy couldn't believe that Merlin thought he was the sort of alpha to go in for that. It was the 21st Century for christ's sake and Dean might be an asshole and his mum was well shot of him, but even he hadn't been a wanker enough to think that collaring was okay anymore. I mean he had a feeling a few of the agents who had tried to court Merlin would have been into that, but they were all still a little huffy at Roxy sitting at the table. Eggsy wondered what he should do, if he should leave Merlin be. He was so mad, the courting had been going well, he had followed Merlin's advice. He had stuck to what those lame books from the 50s said about valuing your omega even if he hadn't stuck to the complete rules. 

Then Eggsy groaned, he was such an idiot. Merlin had liked the trappings of courting. The collar was a symbol. Of course Merlin didn't want to actually wear it, but the man was older, so the idea of offering it as proof of accepting Eggsy as his alpha would appeal to him. And Eggsy had rejected it. Fuck, Merlin thought he was being rejected. That wouldn't do at all.

Eggsy moved quickly through the house, and went upstairs. He followed the lingering scent of sadness to the master bedroom. The door was open, but Eggsy still knocked.

"Come in." Merlin's voice sounded small. He didn't think Merlin could sound small. Eggsy walked into the room and looked around a bit. It was a beautiful room, simple, tidy. There was no sight of the fabric roll.

"Green. It suits you." Eggsy said. Merlin was sitting on his bed and Eggsy moved beside him. "Can I?"

"Aye, lad." Merlin agreed.

Eggsy sat down next to him. "I'm sorry, Gregor. I got that just all wrong I didn't understand."

Merlin looked up at Eggsy and hoped coursed through him. "You are?"

"Of course I am babe. I never meant I was rejecting you." Eggsy said. "I want to be your mate. I just got confused by the collar and then I figured it out. It's a symbol yeah? You like the old fashioned symbols. Like you wanted a bit of a traditional courting. You were just offering me the collar to show you accepted me as your alpha. I'm so sorry Gregor, I wasn't rejecting you at all. Tell you what, we could even frame it, like in a nice shadow box for the bedroom? That would be good wouldn't it?" Eggsy was very pleased with himself.

"A symbol." Merlin said slowly.

"Yeah, I mean collaring - who does that to their omega anymore?" Eggsy said jokingly. "But you just wanted the gesture of it all. I'm sorry I was such a prat about it."

Merlin looked at Eggsy. The lad was everything he wanted, had always secretly wanted, but he seemed to have completely misunderstood Merlin. "I want the collar Eggsy." Merlin said.

"Yeah, I get it, babe. Promise. I accept it and we'll put it on display in our bedroom, whether that is here or somewhere new for both of us." Eggsy smiled. "I like the idea of us setting up our own place together."

Merlin growled just a little. Eggsy wasn't hearing him. "Eggsy, I want to wear the collar. I want you to put it on my neck and for ye to hold the key."

Eggsy looked at him. "You don't have to say that. I know that's how you were raised and all, but you're Merlin, I would never ask you to stay at home and be on your knees. I'm not that sort of alpha."

Merlin gritted his teeth, he was too emotionally exhausted to deal with this right now. "I'm tired Eggsy, been a long afternoon and I could use some quiet before tomorrow. You'll join my parents and I?"

"Of course, want to get to know them better, hear stories about wee Gregor, bet you were a terror." Eggsy teased. He leaned over and kissed Merlin's cheek. "I am sorry babe, but all sorted now right, you don't need to play at being the cowed omega."

"All sorted." Merlin agreed. 

***************************************

Merlin and his Da were happily looking at the Egyptian statues when Merlin's mum, pulled Eggsy aside and cornered him. "What did you do boy?" She asked.

"Do?" Eggsy replied.

"My son has been off all day." She poked him. Merill was a little shorter than Eggsy and managed to look down her nose at him. "Yesterday he wanted a very important item and it was with pleasure that I gave it to him, but today I am not so sure."

"We're fine, bit of a misunderstanding last night, but swear we got it all sorted." Eggsy said. "Ow." He yelled when that finger stabbed him again.

"My boy isn't sorted."

"How would you know, you haven't really seen him in decades." Eggsy replied. His eyes widened when she growled low and hard. "You're the alpha?"

"Of course I am, who else would have given that item over?" 

"But you don't smell like an alpha." Eggsy protested.

"Did my mate smell omega?" 

"Well no, you both smell..."

"Last 60 years mated and your scents intertwine so much, they become their own thing." She said. "Now Mr Unwin, I may not have had any time with my child in the last few decades, but that doesn't mean I don't know him at his core. And you've upset him mightily and if ye dinnae fix it soon, I may think about removing my support of this bonding." Another poke. "Ye messed up. What did ye do?" She crossed her arms and waited.

Eggsy winced. "When he presented me with the collar I told him he didn't need it, that I wasn't that sort of alpha." He flinched as she whacked him with her purse. "I know, I figured it out - he wanted the symbol of it. And I told him that I understood. I thought we had fixed it."

"What was his response?" She asked.

"He said he wanted the collar." Eggsy admitted. "But he can't mean it, he's just gotten trapped in the thinking he was raised with, taught in school. I'm not that sort of alpha. I mean at work he's practically my boss and I wouldn't ask him to change. I mean the reason I want him so bad is because of how strong and clever he is. I am not going to diminish that."

"You have a good heart." She said. "But yer a bloody moron. Gregor said he wanted the collar. I am pretty sure that means my son wants the collar."

"All due respect ma'am, he doesn't really mean it, he just thinks he does. We'll talk it out and he'll realize what he wants." Eggsy did not expect the amount of laughter that came out of her. "Ma'am?"

"Oh boyo, I thought my son liked them smarter than this. Ah well, the heart wants what it wants."

"I'm not dumb." Eggsy protested a bit of a growl in his voice.

"Perhaps not, but you are being willfully blind, and I hate that we are leaving tomorrow because to see Gregor open your eyes, oh it would be glorious. I hope there is video we can later." She leaned into Eggsy and he finally caught the scent of her alpha as it grew more protective. "Mr. Unwin, I do think you are a good match for my Gregor, but ye need to get that chip of yer shoulder. And if ye dinnae take it off on yer own, my son will surely push it off. And that will nae be pleasant for ye." She let out one last little growl. "Might be old, boyo, but ye don't get yer head out yer ass, he'll leave you and that will make him sad, which means I'll be paying ye a visit, and we ain't the posh sort when ours are hurting, if ye get my meaning. Not so old I can't give a Glasgow smile should it be needed."

"Yes ma'am." Eggsy said quickly. He lifted his head at the scent of caramel and looked to see Merlin walking to them. He smiled slowly, happily at the sight of Merlin gesturing and talking with his Da. He was so happy he was able to bring them together.

Merill smiled to herself. He really was a good boy, but a little too invested in what he thought was right. Gregor would get him sorted and get what he needed from the alpha. He was clever like his father after all. She smiled at her omega, 60 years together and he still made her ache. She just wanted even a bit of that for her son.

"Come buy me a slice of cake Gregor." Merill said. Gregor happily took her arm, and left Eggsy with Gregor's Da.

"You don't wear a collar, sir." Eggsy said looking at the man.

"It's Archie, please. And I'll call ye Eggsy." They walked a few paces behind the two. "No, back in the day, could only get work if you weren't collared, I wanted to work. So I took it off, found an employer who's eyes seemed to not see the bite mark on my neck, wore a lot of turtlenecks - thank god for hideous 70s fashion. She never minded just wanted me to be happy."

"I just want Merlin to be happy." Eggsy said to the man.

"Then isn't it simple? Ask him what would make him happy." Archie clapped a hand on Eggsy's shoulder and went to join his mate and son.

**********************

The next day Eggsy drove them to the airport, Gregor's scent was sad the whole time.

"None of that son, we'll see you at Christmas won't we? Perhaps properly bonded by then?" She asked with a pointed glare at Eggsy. Merlin and his Da choked a bit on their laughter as Eggsy paled. 

"Yes ma'am." Eggsy said swiftly. Merlin just laughed some more. Eggsy went to head to the parking structure. 

"None of that boy, just drop us off, what they charge even for 20 minutes of parking is robbery." Merill instructed. "To the drop off zone."

Eggsy knew better than to protest. They got out and Eggsy got the luggage while the family said their goodbyes.

"I expect a Sunday phone call now Gregor. And that Skype thing once a month." Merill said firmly. 

"Yes Ma." Merlin said.

She pulled him into a swift hug. "So proud of ye, Gregor Antony Bothain."

Merlin breathed her in. "Thank you Ma." She let go and his Dad gave him a hug and a kiss. "Bye Da."

"He'll figure out." Archie whispered. "You get what you need from your alpha, just like I did, it will be all fine, son. Promise." Merlin nodded into his dad's shoulder and then let go.

A couple minutes later they were pulling out. "Where to Merlin?" Eggsy asked.

"The estate I want to work out. I am restless." Merlin said.

"Okay." Eggsy said easily. "Looking to use the treadmill or do you want to spar a little?"

"Warm up with a quick run and then I'll kick your ass." Merlin replied.

"You ain't going to kick shit." Eggsy answered.

"We'll see." 

**********************

"Could you help me up, I don't think I can move." Eggsy said on the mats. Merlin had gone fast and hard and Eggsy was going to feel it for days. Merlin pulled him up. "Come, we'll go to the steam room."

"How is getting more sweaty going to help me right now?" Eggsy asked.

"Well, I'll be naked in there." Merlin said and walked off to the locker. Eggsy found the will to move and followed him. He changed quickly and wrapped himself in a towel. He got there just as Merlin was closing the door. "Oh decided to get a little sweatier after all?" Merlin asked.

"Good for the pores." Eggsy agreed with a wink. He went into the room and looked around. He had never actually used it before. It was beautiful, could fit maybe four people lying down. He watched Merlin poke at the control panel and the lighting went low, a soft white against the blue tile. Soon the steam began wafting through the room curling around them. It wasn't overwhelming and Eggsy felt himself relax. "This is nice."

"Aye." Merlin agreed. He walked past Eggsy to where there were two benches. Merlin stood on the lower one and laid down a towel and then took the one he was wearing off and lay down on the upper bench.

"You weren't joking." Eggsy said. He was sure it was rude to stare but he couldn't stop. He knew Merlin was fit and had seen his chest a few times now, but to see the length of his body just there. Eggsy wanted to bite the omega's hip. Hard. "Fuck you're gorgeous." Eggsy said.

Merlin didn't look over, eyes closed, one arm beneath his head. "Are ye joining me?" He asked.

Eggsy looked down where his hard on was pushing his towel out. "Uh..."

"I can smell your arousal you know. Ye smell earthier, smokier. A peat fire on the coldest winter night." Merlin said. He never looked over. "It is a scent that I could get used to, that I could crave." Eggsy whimpered a little. "Come lad, lay down, enjoy the steam. We'll not fuck in here. Not today at least. And I locked the door to my personal code, we'll be left alone."

Eggsy took a deep breath and took his towel off and lay down on it. Face down, just in case Merlin decided to open his eyes. "So you think about that? I mean you want me? Because I sure as fuck want you."

Merlin laughed a little. "Aye lad, I want ye very much. I would not be contemplating bonding with you if I didn't."

Eggsy froze at those words and all arousal faded. "Contemplating. I thought we were settled. I thought we were bonding."

"I want to bond with ye Eggsy. I want to be your mate. I want to be your omega." Merlin said. "I want to be  _your omega_."

Eggsy heard the stress on the words. "I want to be your alpha." He replied. 

"No you don't." Merlin replied. "You want to be alpha to your image of an omega."

"I don't understand." Eggsy said.

"I want to wear your collar." Merlin said.

"But Merlin, I told you I don't need that." Eggsy sat up. "Merlin, I know you think you should wear it, that is what you were always taught, but you don't need to convince yourself that you want that. I'm fine without it. Heck your dad doesn't even wear one."

Merlin finally opened his eyes and he looked at Eggsy. "Eggsy. I want to wear the collar. I want you to put it on me and I want you to fucking mean it when you call me your omega."

Eggsy leaned over and kissed Merlin. "Merlin, it's okay, you don't have to say things like that. I'm not like them, you know, the alphas you might be used to. I'm not that sort of alpha."

Merlin pushed him away. "Yes you fucking are. And I'll not bond with ye." He sat up and stepped down from the bench. He grabbed his towel but didn't bother covering up. 

"Gregor?" Eggsy asked stunned.

Merlin growled and got in Eggsy's face. "I said not to say that name here. I said I want to wear the collar. Why have ye decided that not listening to me is the best way to handle me?"

Eggsy leaned back a bit. "Well because -" Eggsy closed his mouth.

"Because ye know fucking better than the omega right? All you have to do is explain your point of view and I'll fall in line and everything will be perfect?" Merlin got close to him. "When did you come to the decision that I, Merlin of the Kingsman, a man who's held the world in his palm, doesn't know his own mind? When did ye decide that you know what is best for me?" Merlin got even closer. "You aren't like the older Kingsman, you aren't like Kay or Dinadan when they didn't listen to me? What the fuck are ye doing right now? If you don't want to collar me because you honestly don't want it that's one thing. But if you aren't collaring me because you think you know better what I need or want, then we are done." Merlin stepped back.

"Merlin." Eggsy was crushed. "I just want you to be happy."

Merlin looked at him. "And what makes ye think I don't know what that is?" Merlin left Eggsy sitting there.

Eggsy eventually stood and went to the locker room to get dressed. He hurt. His heart hurt and his stomach felt wrong at his omega walking away from him. He just wanted to grab Merlin and push him into a wall, tell him he wasn't going anywhere. But that would be wrong. He needed to talk to someone, get this sorted. He started walking down the hall headed to Roxy. Only Percival stepped out of his office.

"Galahad, a word." Percival said.

"Sorry, bruv, little busy." Eggsy replied.

"No, you aren't. Now please join me for some tea." Percival's voice was hard. He always seemed so mild, but Eggsy took one look at his face and went into the office. Percival poured him some tea and gave him a biscuit. "Would you care to tell me why the scent of Merlin's sadness is trailing through the halls?"

"He doesn't want me." Eggsy said, as he looked at his fingers. "He said he was done with me, don't know why he would be down and sad, when he's the one who pulled that trigger."

"Perhaps because he didn't want to?" Percival asked.

"He said I wasn't listening to him, that I was just like the arseholes at the table who stopped taking him seriously when he came in smelling all perfect." Eggsy glowered. "I'm not like them."

"No, you aren't." Percival agreed.

"Thank you!" Eggsy said.

"You are your own brand of idiot." Percival continued. 

"Wot the fuck Percival?" Eggsy asked.

Percival smiled. "You aren't like them. You believe in equal rights for omega, that they are as capable of everything as anyone, that they should have autonomy and freedom."

"Yes, of course! Only a wanker doesn't believe in that."

"Shouldn't that mean Merlin has the freedom to choose what he wants?"

Eggsy paused. "But, why would he want to give up his job? Why would he want to be less than he is, than what he's built here? He can't want that, not really."

"Did he say that he wants to quit his job, stay at home?" Percival asked.

"Well, no, but what else would wanting to wear a collar mean?" Eggsy replied.

"I don't know, did you ask him what wearing a collar meant to him?" Percival looked at him a mix of kindness and stern. "He should have explained himself better, but would you actually have listened?"

Eggsy stared at him. "Yeah. Okay. I get it."

"Do you?"

"No, but I'm closer than I was. Is he still here?" Eggsy asked.

"No Arthur took one look at him and sent him home. You are lucky I'm the first who ran into you, there are others who would have just collected your head." 

"Thanks Percy." Eggsy said.

"Call me that again and I collect your head." 

"Sure Percy." Eggsy grinned, a little of his charm back. Percival shooed him out of the office.

Eggsy left the estate, making sure to avoid some of the other agents. He didn't trust himself behind the wheel of a car so took the tube, and just rode it for a couple hours thinking everything through. Finally he started to head to Merlin's house. He knocked on the door and waited. And waited.

"I know you know it's me." Eggsy said. "I'm sorry." He looked where he guessed the security camera was. "I'm here. I'm gonna listen this time. Promise. Gregor, I want you, my omega, to tell me what would make you happy." He prayed in his head. "Please, Gregor. Give me a chance to hear you, properly this time."

The door opened. "You are a fucking idiot." Merlin said.

"So, several people have mentioned." Eggsy replied. He had only seen him a few hours ago, how could he look so tired? "Babe, I want to get this right."

"Come on in then." Merlin held the door wide. "Let's see if we can't sort this out, because apparently even a couple hours of living with the idea of not bonding with you has made me sick. My body has already decided it belongs to you. Let's get our heads in line, and fast because I think all this might be triggering a goddamn heat."

Eggsy's eyes widened. "Oh holy fuck."

Merlin shook his head. "Nae, too easy to make a pun. I'll let it go." He pulled Eggsy into the house.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fasten your seat belts, this is gonna be a bumpy ride ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where a lot of people would put their note about how they are writing a really unique and different a/b/o story. That they aren't going to be traditional and have done something really original (ie the omega has a surprisingly large cock and are in fact the boss of their heat). The thing is this is actually closer to the norm now and that is great, I do love those stories.
> 
> This is not that sort of story. Merlin still chooses and is still BAMF, but we have a chase, public claiming, etc here. vague maybe dub-con? merlin forces Eggsy's hand a bit.

Eggsy sat on the sofa and stared at Merlin. He breathed in deeply and was dying the caramel had gotten both richer and sharper. He was definitely nearing a heat. Eggsy wondered how much time they had. He took in Merlin's scent a little more.

"Lad, not helping." Merlin said.

"Sorry." Eggsy realized his own scent had been rising to match Merlin's. He crossed his legs to hide his erection. "I've been an arse."

"Aye." Merlin agreed. "I could have been a little plainer though."

"As Percival pointed out, not sure I would have listened." Eggsy looked at Merlin. "I just can't picture you giving up your job."

"Why would I give up my job Eggsy?" Merlin asked. He was sipping some scotch, in part because it had smelled a little like Eggsy. "I am brilliant at it."

"But you want to be collared and claimed and all that shite." Eggsy said.

"Please do not refer to my desires as shite." Merlin replied mildly. "And I have no intentions of giving up my job, the Kingsman would fall apart in two months without me."

"Fuck I'm sorry, this is all so confusing." Eggsy admitted. "Can you just tell me exactly what you want?"

Merlin smiled. Eggsy sounded so lost. "I want to still be Merlin. While I would like to wear your collar all the time, I can understand if ye do not want it at the office and respect that. But at the office, even in the collar, you damn well will listen to me as your quartermaster."

"I would never disrespect you at your job." Eggsy said shocked.

"No you save that for our private lives." Merlin answered.

Eggsy glared, but wilted a little under Merlin's calm gaze. "Yeah, okay that's fair."

"If a little cruel." Merlin added. "Sorry lad." Merlin took a breath. "At work, we are the same as ever, except bonded and mayhap I wear your collar. At home though that collar would mean something."

"But what would it mean?" Eggsy said. "In school, we learned about collars as a historical artifact. Social studies, drilled into our head that it was old fashioned, only something assholes in the north did, you know people who..." Eggsy looked at Merlin. "Jesus I keep digging in deeper."

"A little." Merlin said. "Hicks right? Country folk? The Catholic Irish, some Scots, etc?"

"Yeah, that was the implication." Eggsy said. "To put a collar on your omega means you view them as your property, and humans ain't ever property."

"That I agree with completely." Merlin replied.

"Then why do you want it?" 

"Many reasons." Merlin said. 

"Tell me." Eggsy begged.

"My Da didn't wear a collar much, because to work he couldn't have it on. But it made him sad. He liked wearing Ma's lock, and I can remember her so carefully putting it on him on Sundays when we stayed home and in. He could never wear it outside, just to be safe. I am just like him." Merlin laughed a little. "Though with Ma's temper. Eggsy, I've hid who I am and what I've wanted for all my adult life. I killed that part of me thoroughly. But now I have the chance for what I want, and I'll not settle for less than what I want, what I need." Merlin looked at him. "28 years of hiding, I'll not do it anymore."

"Okay, so you want to wear a collar." Eggsy nodded. "I can get used to that. Don't know if I can do it out and about though Merlin, I don't want people to stare at you and me funny."

Merlin was disappointed but could accept it. "Very well, but when we are home, I will wear it. I am choosing it Eggsy."

Eggsy looked at him. "Okay. At home, yeah you can wear the collar."

"You were right about something you know." Merlin smiled. "Our own place would be nice. A new place."

"Yeah?" Eggsy smiled happily. "I...could we maybe more look at the edge of the city? Been surrounded all the time, neighbours up in my business, nice to have a little space."

Merlin looked thoughtful for a moment. "At the edge of the Kingsman estate there is a groundskeeper cottage. Well private, not too bad drive back into London, less with the bullet line. It's been used mostly for storage. We could have it probably with little fuss. Even if we don't stay forever a couple years there could be nice." Merlin stopped. "The privacy could be good for other things as well."

"What other things?" Eggsy asked. He grinned a little. "You mean honeymoon phase?"

"Well that too." Merlin agreed. "But when I said I wanted to be your omega, wear your collar, I meant it. At home, away from it all, I want the old ways." He waited for Eggsy to react as he had been.

But Eggsy was always a fast learner. "What does that mean for you?"

Merlin smiled. "Thank you. At home, you would be the alpha, you would be in charge. You would reward and punish as you saw fit."

"I've seen enough punishment Gregor, not looking to deal it out." Eggsy said.

"You've seen abuse, not punishment." Merlin countered. "You would never hurt me just because you could." Merlin's voice was completely certain. "But if I broke the rules we established, that I agreed to, you would be well in your rights to punish me how ye saw fit."

"What, I'm supposed to spank you, make you crawl?" Eggsy tried to put derision in his voice, to hide how the idea maybe appealed, just a bit.

"If ye like. The collar has a place to attach a lead line." Merlin said calmly. "At home unless I was doing physical labour or we were having company, I would be naked."

Eggsy sucked in a sharp breath. "I could absolutely agree to that."

Merlin laughed. "Perhaps some old ways are not so bad?"

"Well come on have you seen you?" Eggsy replied. "Have you caught your own scent at all? Having that all just in the open in our home, fuck yeah." 

"I would want to kneel at your feet. I would want your orders Eggsy. I would want to be made to obey." Merlin looked at him. "Do you understand?"

"Sort of?" Eggsy asked. "I mean I can get parts of it. So when we got home, we'd go through like a check list and the rules and -"

"No Eggsy. This isn't just a scene we are trying out. This is the life I want. No do you remember your safe word and you stepping back and asking if I'm okay. We hash that out before hand but when you claim me, when we bond, it is our life. Either of us can opt out at anytime, but I want it to be...organic, who we are. I want you to want me on my knees, I don't want you playing it as a game and at the end of the night we laugh about it."

Eggsy looked at his hands. "I don't know if I can do that Gregor."

"Then as perfect as you smell for me, as much as I want ye, you are not the alpha for me and I release you from the promises implied in our courting." Merlin was holding his stomach as he said this.

"No Merlin, wait." Eggsy protested. "I don't want to let go."

"But you don't want to hold on either." Merlin took a sip of scotch to distract himself.

"I don't know okay!" Eggsy growled. "You are asking me to shake off everything I've been taught, asking me to be a goddamn caveman. Hey Eggsy how about you change the entire way you think about relationships in 48 hours? How about you fuck off and give me time to think!" He yelled.

"As you wish." Merlin replied. "But while you are thinking, I'll add one more piece of data. I can't have children. Between my age and the black market suppressants I was on, I am infertile and am likely to only have a handful of heats left."

"Oh." Eggsy looked sad. "Are you okay about that?"

"I am now, it was an unpleasant day when I found out." Merlin said.

Eggsy took a breath. "I need to think. But I don't want you to suffer. Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm not in heat yet, and this could be an entirely false alarm. My body is still adjusting to the lack of chemicals in it. And I bought some things." Merlin couldn't look at Eggsy.

"Bought a dildo didn't you?" Eggsy said. "Are you embarrassed?"

"Shut it." Merlin said. "I've had two heats in the last 28 years so not like they were a thing I needed to keep around a lot." But his cheeks were red, no matter how relaxed he made his voice.

Eggsy couldn't resist and moved over to beside Merlin and scented his neck. "I'm sorry I am struggling to understand this."

Merlin leaned into the touch. "I really want you to be my alpha Eggsy, but not if it is something that doesn't suit your needs as well."

Eggsy dragged his teeth on Merlin's skin just a little and they both moaned at the sensation. "Why do you want me to put you in a cage Gregor?" Eggsy asked.

"Eggsy, you misunderstand, I've been in a cage for 28 years. This? This is what sets me free." Merlin kissed Eggsy hard. "Go home and think lad. I'm fine."

"You sure?" 

"Aye. Go." Merlin said and he pushed Eggsy gently. "I'll see you in the office in a couple days."

Eggsy gave him one last kiss and left.

***************************

Eggsy barely slept a wink, rolling over everything in his brain, and after breakfast he called Merlin. "Are you at home?"

"Aye, it is my day off." Merlin said.

"How are you feeling?" 

"Same as yesterday, little warm, minor stomach cramps, feeling vaguely horny but not super into doing anything about it. So I think this might just be a false alarm as my body adjusts." Merlin said.

"Still you should stay home until it passes, avoid all the alphas at the estate." Eggsy said seriously.

"Why?" Merlin replied. "I can take care of myself as well you know. So what if a couple of the agents get close enough to scent me a little?"

Eggsy broke the glass in his hand at the thought of another alpha near that rich scent. He growled. "No." He ordered.

"Is that a command, alpha?" Merlin asked and Eggsy stumbled.

"I..." He sighed. "I want it to be, but I don't...I am not sure that I can give you what you need. God I want to Merlin, because I want you in my life every fucking day and night. I want to have your scent just on me, want to see my bite on your neck. I even can understand the collar. But you are asking me to be all instinct."

"No I am asking you to be instinct and heart. You are such a caregiver Eggsy, I just want ye to take care of me as well." Merlin said.

There was a few minutes of silence.

"Eggsy, lad?" Merlin asked.

"I'm scared of it." Eggsy admitted. "What does it make me if I want this?"

"My alpha? My perfect match?" 

"It makes me a freak." Eggsy replied.

"Then what does it make me?" Merlin asked. "I understand Eggsy. We'll talk at work." Merlin hung up.

"Fuck." Eggsy swore to himself. That wasn't what he meant. But once Merlin was better and his system back to normal they would talk.

***********************

The next day Eggsy got off the bullet train and saw the blast doors closed. And three agents growling and banging on it.

"Wot the -" Before he could finish he caught the scent of Merlin and it was even richer and thicker than before, the barest hint of something darker in the caramel. "Fake heat my ass." Eggsy growled. "Oi, you lot back off."

One of the fellow agents snarled a little and Eggsy didn't think and just slammed him into the wall and knocked the man out. "Get gone the lot of you."

"He isn't yours." Another said.

"He sure as fuck is bruv, now back the hell off." Eggsy's voice was hard, his scent dangerous. All the alphas were clearly aroused by the scent of the almost in heat omega.

"Gentleman, manners." Percival said as he and Arthur came down the hall. They were both wearing scent guards under their noses but it was looking like it might not be enough - Merlin's scent was seeping through more and more. "Eggsy don't you have somewhere to be?" He looked at the blast doors and then down the hallway a bit. "Arthur will escort you while I stay here." Percival stationed himself in front of the doors and face the other alphas.

Arthur began to walk Eggsy swiftly down the hall. "Why is your omega at work, with a rising heat and unclaimed?"

"Because he said it was a false alarm and dumped me." Eggsy said. Arthur kept pushing him down the hall.

"Son, I'm tired of this. Do you want him for the rest of his life?" Arthur asked.

"Yeah." Eggsy said as they rounded the corner.

"Then stopping running scared and end all this."

"You don't understand what he's asking of me." Eggsy said as Arthur opened the door.

"The question is, is it really more than you want to give him?" Arthur looked at Eggsy. "Is what he's asking so different from what you want, or just different from what you think you want?"

"I want  _him._ " Eggsy said.

"Then collect him." Arthur pushed Eggsy through the small side door that lead into Merlin's office.

Eggsy stumbled into the room where the scent was almost overwhelming. In an instant he was hard and aching. Fuck he just wanted to sink his teeth into Merlin's neck, make him howl. 

Merlin for his part was staring intently at his screen. It was getting difficult to ignore the way the slick had saturated his pants.

“Merlin what are you doing here at the office?” Eggsy asked stunned that he would come in when he was so clearly sliding into full heat. Eggsy cleared his throat, tried to get Merlin's scent out of his lungs, but it was filling him up.

“My job.” Merlin said not looking up. They ignored the sound of the alphas in the hall growling. Eggsy could hear Percival threaten them and soon Arthur was there as well.

“No you aren’t, you are playing Minecraft. At work, which is filled with alphas, while you are starting a heat.” Eggsy growled a little, the scent was fogging his brain too much and rational discourse was getting difficult.

Merlin looked at Eggsy. “Well you see, I thought I had an alpha, but it turned out we wanted different things.” He shrugged. “Figured I’d see if anyone else suited my needs better.” He went back to his screen.

"No one could suit you better than me." Eggsy's voice was thick with command and hunger.

"That is what I thought, what I hoped, but you disagreed and I am tired of being alone. I want to be a pair, so I'll take what I can get. I wonder what their stamina is like." Merlin said. "Do you think I would look good, naked and kneeling beside Kay?"

Something in Eggsy’s brain snapped and he pulled Merlin up and out his chair and pushed him against the wall. “You are my fucking omega.” Eggsy snarled as he scented Merlin’s neck. “And I am the only alpha who is ever going to have you, ever again.”

Merlin leaned into Eggsy, in a gesture of almost submission and headbutted him, not breaking anything but distracting Eggsy enough that he stumbled. Merlin pushed him. “Yeah, you’re my alpha?" Merlin went back to his desk and hit a button. The blast doors slid open and the growls of the alphas grew louder. Merlin stood on the balls of feet. His grin was sharp, dangerous. Desperate. "Prove it.” Merlin said and he took off running right through the alphas. 

Arthur started swearing. This was a mess and ill suited for their office, but he supposed they all owed Merlin for what he had sacrificed for them. But this was going to be it. He reached for his knock out darts as Merlin tore through the pack. They all forgot that Merlin was the fastest and the alphas were stunned for a moment before they started to chase.

Eggsy roared at the sight of the other alphas chasing his omega and ran down the hall after them all.

Percival looked at Arthur. "Should we follow to clean up the mess?"

"I am going on vacation. Chester didn't have to put up with this."

"True, he was too busy being a bigoted asshole to have this sort of thing happen." Percival replied.

Arthur smiled. "Come on, let's make sure this works out properly."

*********************

Merlin knew exactly where he was running, no one knew the estate as well as he did. He took long strides through the building and could hear the snarls and stomping feet of the alphas behind him, and a little further back the lighter step of Eggsy. Merlin decided to help his alpha out just a little. He all of a sudden planted his feet and bent and flipped Kay over his shoulder. He wasn't knocked out, but he was well winded after the running. "Agent you need to hit the gym more." Merlin teased. A cramp hit him. Shit, this was spinning out of his control quicker than he would have liked. The slick was starting to pour down his thighs, spurred on by the scent of the alphas chasing him. But there was only one scent in the mix he wanted. 

Eggsy. His Eggsy. His alpha.

He hoped that by doing this he hadn't ruined their relationship, but he was tired and he wanted a future. He wanted that future with Eggsy but was prepared to be with a different alpha. It was easy this way, if Eggsy didn't really want him, all he had to do was lose. Merlin just kept praying that Eggsy wouldn't lose.

Merlin turned the corner and groaned as body kicked fully into his heat. He forgot how much these actually hurt. "Fuck alpha, need you." He moaned as he rested against the wall. But the closest footsteps weren't Eggsy's, smelled of ocean and not earth. You couldn't rest on the ocean, he wanted the earth. He shook his head, tried to clear his thoughts. Eggsy had to keep going until it was Eggsy behind him. Merlin pushed off the wall and fought the pain, and kept running. He had an end destination planned. A fitting place to end all of this, he headed for the stairs.

Eggsy passed Kay leaning against the wall trying to catch his breath. He kept moving the two alphas still in the chase ahead of him. He knew Percival and Arthur were at his back. He realized that Merlin had gone for the stairs and began to move faster, this was his chance. It was a side stairwell, so not one of the sweeping grand ones in middle of the estate, added on for safety in later years. That meant a tight corner. Eggsy took a deep breath and grabbed the railing a little above him and shifted his weight and leapt. He pushed up and off the railing and managed to get ahead of one of the alphas. Leaving only one more alpha between him and his mate.

Oh he and Merlin were going to have words after all this was over. And Eggsy right now was definitely seeing the appeal of disciplining his omega for creating this insanity. What the fuck was Merlin thinking? Oh yes, the omega was going to be in trouble for all this risk later. But first Eggsy had to get to him.

He could see the alpha still in the lead and Merlin a little ahead of that. They were in the office area. Shit, Eggsy realized, there might be another few alphas around catching that scent. Eggsy dug deep into his reserves and pushed himself even faster. He saw Merlin turn a corner and was only a few metres behind the other alpha. When he turned the corner he realized that Merlin must have given up because a room had an open door. Oh the omega must have grown tired, weight of the heat finally getting to him and he gave up. And that other alpha was going to get there first.

Eggsy roared and stormed into the room where Merlin was behind a desk, panting, holding his stomach. He looked at Eggsy. "Alpha help." His voice was so rough, needy.

Eggsy knocked the other alpha to the ground and they began to scrap, Merlin moaning in the pain that was starting to roll through him. He collapsed a little on the desk, it was difficult to hold himself up. "Eggsy." He whispered. "My alpha."

Eggsy snarled and grappled with the older alpha. His omega needed him and he was tired of this bullshit. a few hard punches and kicks and the man held up his hands in surrender. Eggsy gave him one last growl before rounding the desk and picking Merlin up a little and giving him a shake. It should have been awkward with Merlin having height and weight on Eggsy, but Merlin kept his head lowered in submission. 

"Wot were you thinking, omega?" He growled. "You don't run from me. You are mine."

Merlin coughed a little. "Prove it." He grinned at Eggsy. "Please alpha, prove I'm yours."

Eggsy kissed Merlin hard before shoving him down face first on the desk. "You want proof, I'll give you proof." He reached down and pulled Merlin's trousers and pants off. "Jesus you fucking soaked through these." He looked at Merlin's ass. "Goddamn you are perfect." But he gave it a hard smack. "What were you doing cornering yourself like this?" Another smack. "You know better than that."

"Look where we are alpha. Chester's old office." Merlin's voice was slurring a little, brain checking out now that his alpha was here to take care of him. "New Arthur didn't want this space. Too fussy." Merlin giggled getting euphoric at the scent of his alpha surrounding him. "Chester didn't want omegas in the Kingsman. And now the secret omega is going to be knotted on his desk." Merlin giggled some more.

Eggsy gave him another swat. "What makes you think I'll knot you omega, after leading me on that stupid ass chase, maybe I'll leave you to suffer until we are somewhere else."

Merlin whimpered a little. They both head a noise and there were Percival and Arthur, collecting the agent that Eggsy had defeated. They looked at the two at the desk.

"Please alpha." Merlin asked softly.

"This what you want?" Eggsy replied.

Merlin nodded just a little and lay his head on Chester's desk.

"Okay then you fucking piece of work." Eggsy said. He pushed two fingers hard into Merlin who just moaned at the feeling, his heat making him so slick and open. "Didn't know old ones like you could get this slick, guv." Eggsy said as he pushed his fingers back and forth. Merlin moaned at the touch. "Feel good omega?"

"Yes, need more." Merlin said.

"You'll get more when I'm ready." Eggsy replied. He looked at the men standing in the doorway. "His mine, you get me? This stubborn, troublesome omega is mine, and any of you fuck with him again, I'll rip your throat out with my teeth." They all nodded never taking their eyes off of Merlin who was babbling, begging at this point.

Eggsy undid his trousers and pushed them down, happy at the relief of being free. He kicked Merlin's ankles, to make the omega spread his legs more. "Up on your toes a bit, let me see your aching hole, baby." Eggsy said and Merlin pushed up a little more. "Good omega." God he sounded like a crappy porn, but when Merlin sighed in happiness, Eggsy thought maybe it wasn't so bad. "Hope you are ready for this." And he held his cock and sank into the omega, not giving him time to adjust, just kept going until he was fully seated, hips against Merlin's ass.

"Oh fuck," Eggsy said. "Jesus guv, so fucking perfect. Should have claimed your ass the first day of training." Eggsy babbled.

"Didn't know I was omega."

"Knew you were fucking gorgeous." Eggsy replied. He moved back a little and snapped his hips hard. The desk creaked at the motion against it. He started to move hard and fast. "Knew you were aces before I smelled how perfect you were."

"That's nice." Merlin said. 

"Oh trust me baby, think whatever we are going to be doing, it ain't going to be nice." Eggsy said. He held Merlin down, one hand on the back of his neck, the other on his hip as he fucked him hard. He kept his eyes on the other alphas making sure they saw that Merlin was his. 

"Knot me." Merlin begged. "Claim me, fucking bite me Eggsy."

Eggsy tightened his grip on Merlin's neck. "Not in charge of this anymore Gregor. You wanted to let go, time to let go then." He squeezed his hand just a little more. Merlin went completely limp on the desk, last of his strength gone.

"Yes alpha."

"Good darling." Eggsy said softly. He could feel his knot growing and made sure to push hard into Merlin. Merlin moaned at the feeling, a mix of pleasure and pain. "Take it Gregor, take everything."

"Yessssss." Merlin slurred out.

A few more thrusts and Eggsy was coming, knot, stuck inside Merlin. He finally touched Merlin's cock and just the one touch had Merlin shouting, spilling all over Chester's desk.

Eggsy sank his teeth into Merlin's neck, never taking his eyes of the other alphas as he claimed Merlin. He worried his teeth into the neck a little before pulling away and licking the wound. He could feel Merlin clamping around his knot and it was the best fucking agony ever. He stared at the men in the door. "Mine." He said. He bit Merlin again for good measure.

"I'll file the paperwork." Arthur said.

Merlin giggled under Eggsy. "It's the 22-C form. Add in billing for cleaning all the mess."

Eggsy pinched Merlin's side. "Shut it."

"Yes alpha." Merlin said.

"Good omega." Eggsy replied. He saw Arthur guiding the others away. Percival gave him a polite nod and closed the door. Eggsy kissed Merlin's neck. "We go to your place once we're free, take one of the cars. And when we get there. Going to put that collar on you."

Merlin smiled against the desk.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Woot! I am back to writing this. And opening with a bang so to speak ;)
> 
> (ie this chapter is just porn)

The collar didn't go on though when they got to Merlin's place, because he was hit with the start of another wave of heat. 

"Oh fuck me." Merlin groaned clutching his stomach.

"Well I will as soon as we're in the house Gregor." Eggsy snarked pulling the omega along.

Merlin frowned. "Ye called me that at the office. Ye are nae supposed to use that name at the office."

"I am sorry about that." Eggsy said sincerely. "But I was rather occupied with the fact that you played me like that. We're going to have to talk about that as well, once we're over all the fucking and whatnot."

"I'm intrigued by whatnot." Merlin replied as he let them into the house. "What does whatnot involve?"

"Dunno, we'll figure it out." Eggsy said. He looked at Merlin. "You look odd in trackies. I mean I know you wear them to work out, but outside the gym they look funny on you."

Merlin smiled. "Should I take them off alpha?" He was already leaking slick again.

Eggsy smiled and walked to Merlin couch and made himself comfortable. "Go on then, strip. Slow."

Merlin slowly began to pull the clothes off until he was naked, hard, thighs shining with his slick. "Do I please you?"

"Fuck you do, more than I even thought. How are you so damn fit when you sit in front of a computer so much?" Eggsy asked, he was getting hard again, just looking at the man.

"Luck, metabolism, and I make sure to hit the gym for a minimum of 6 hours a week. Had to maintain a better than average physique, helped hide who I was."

Eggsy frowned. "But you like it, working out?"

"I hate the fucking weight machines. Like the boxing and running, but need the muscles to hide." Merlin shrugged.

Eggsy looked at him. "No more workouts you don't like. No more weights, only the stuff you actually like doing." Eggsy added a little growl for emphasis.

Merlin shuddered a little. There was more slick. "Yes alpha."

"Those the sorts of orders you want?" Eggsy asked.

Merlin nodded.

"Want some more?" Eggsy smirked a little and Merlin's nod was quicker.

"Then crawl the fuck over here and open my trousers with your teeth and lick my cock." Eggsy's voice was low and hard, a depth even he had never heard before.

Merlin sank gracefully to his knees and crawled across to Eggsy. 

"Practice that a lot have you?" Eggsy asked.

"A little, over the years, by myself, just in case...one day." Merlin admitted.

"Oh my pretty omega, how lonely have you been?" 

"So very lonely." Merlin nuzzled at Eggsy's trouser front. "But you are here, going to be better now, right?"

Eggsy took off Merlin's glasses. "I'll take care of you omega. Promise."

Merlin sighed happily. "Can I lick your cock please alpha?"

"Oh what a good pet for asking like that, just to be sure." Eggsy cooed. "Go on then open my trousers and lick away."

Merlin tugged the zipper down with his teeth and nuzzled some more trying to move the fabric out of the way. He huffed when he got nowhere. "Eggsy a little help?" He asked.

"Going to make you work harder, make it less fun for you if I give you help now." Eggsy warned. 

Merlin thought about it. "Would this be whatnot?"

"It would." Eggsy had an idea in his head, one he had seen in porn, heard stories about but never even thought of trying. "Make a choice Gregor."

Merlin sat back on his heels. "Would this whatnot help establish what we want to be?"

Eggsy swallowed thickly. "Yeah, yeah it would. It would help me a lot baby." He said. He touched Merlin's head. "Won't hurt you, but it won't be easy."

Merlin leaned into the touch. "I want whatnot."

"Go upstairs and get one of those dildos you said you bought. If one has a suction cup pick that one." Eggsy ordered.

Merlin stood and with his cheeks red hurried out of the room. Eggsy got up and stripped his bottoms off, but left his shirt and tie on. They'd have to talk about how cold Merlin left his house; Eggsy had been cold enough growing up. Thought he supposed, he had a nice large omega to keep him warm.

Merlin came back down with two boxes. He hurried over and knelt at Eggsy's feet. "These are what I bought." He turned bright red.

"Baby, no big deal, they sell these at the drug store, next to pain meds." Eggsy smiled a little.

"Nae when I was your age." Merlin muttered. "Still surprises me."

Eggsy smiled. "You really are a man out of time aren't you?"

Merlin ducked his head, embarrassed that he was embarrassed. Eggsy leaned over and kissed him. "I like it baby. My Merlin, so fucking strong, my Gregor, soft as his sweaters. It is a good combo." He looked at the two boxes, and neither had a suction cup. "Hmmm, okay I have an idea." He grinned wickedly. "Get up on the couch, legs spread as much as you can, omega."

Merlin switched places with Eggsy and did as he was told. And waited, only nothing happened. "Alpha?" He asked worried.

"Just admiring. Jesus you are fucking perfect. So fit, pretty little leaking cock, hole leaking even more. Shame I'm not going to knot it."

"Why not?" Merlin pouted. "I hurt alpha, need you in me."

"Oh I am going to be in you." Eggsy promised. He sat so that his mouth was right at Merlin's cock. He kissed the tip before moving down a little to lick at Merlin's hole and the slick that surrounded it. "Yum." He teased as he licked some more. Merlin thrashed on the couch. It was the first time anyone had done that.

"Fuck alpha, more, just more that feels so fucking good. Jesus how have I went without that?" Merlin said. "More!" He demanded.

Eggsy immediately pulled his head away. "Bad omega."

Merlin whimpered at the sharp tone. "But it feels good!" 

Eggsy raised a brow and waited.

Merlin bit his lip. "I'm sorry, sir."

Eggsy shuddered at being called sir by such a strong man. "Better, but still not returning to that right now."

Merlin knew better than to protest. Eggsy nodded as Merlin kept silent. He made up for taking away his mouth by pushing two fingers into Merlin. "Feel hot baby, drenching my hand here." Eggsy pushed his fingers in and out, watched Merlin's cock bob as the older man rocked his hips. He opened one of the boxes and pulled the dildo out. He looked at Merlin's hole and figured he was slick enough and almost prepped enough it should be fine. He wet the dildo with Merlin's slick and began to push it in carefully. Merlin moaned and tensed a little. "Shh, baby relax, just let it slide into you." Merlin did his best and Eggsy sank the dildo in but not so far as to push the fake knot into his omega.

"Back onto the ground baby, been neglecting me long enough, even in your rising heat."

Merlin scrambled to the ground, brain and body sending so many different signals. It was horrible, it was glorious. It was everything he had pretended he never dreamed of. He settled in between Eggsy's knees and stared at the alpha's cock. It was average for an alpha but still had a few inches on Merlin. He watched Eggsy hold his cock up and away. "Lick my balls omega." Eggsy ordered.

Merlin did as he was told, and licked and sucked one into his mouth and then the other, he worshipped Eggsy as he had always wanted to worship an alpha. His two heats in the last few decades had been painful, blinding, and he had few memories of them beyond knowing that Harry took care of him as best he could. Here though with Eggsy everything was clear, almost painfully clear. It reminded him of the colours in old musicals so saturated it could hurt your eyes.

"Good boy." Eggsy said, voice thick again with passion. Merlin tried not to preen. "So good, you can now lick my cock." Merlin happily complied, loving the taste of his alpha. The scent of Eggsy was filling his head and he couldn't wait to have the cock back in him. Maybe this time he would get to ride Eggsy, that could be a lot of fun. He licked at the tip and kissed his way down to where Eggsy's knot would be and back up. He repeated this a couple more times before Eggsy got restless. "Come on, baby suck."

Merlin pulled the tip into his mouth even as he tried to wiggle the dildo a little bit. Eggsy knew what he was trying to do and moved them about a bit so that his foot could nudge the dildo, moving it in Merlin. God bless all that training that kept his legs nice and flexible. Merlin was both happier and unsatisfied. He pulled off of Eggsy.

"When are you going to fuck me sir?" He asked.

"Later." Eggsy said. "This here, right now, won't satisfy you in the way you want, maybe even physically need. But I think it will make your heart very happy. And the dildo will help you cope."

"Have you so I do better than cope." Merlin muttered. Eggsy twisted his ear. It hurt, but also felt good.

"Trust me. New to this thinking, but I'll get it figured out."

Merlin nodded and went back to sucking, Eggsy leaned back against the sofa and enjoyed. Merlin didn't have a lot of experience but he did have enthusiasm and a hunger for Eggsy. He loved how the alpha filled his mouth. He pushed himself lower and lower until he reached where Eggsy's knot was. 

"Can you go a little lower, without choking or cutting off your air?" Eggsy asked. 

Merlin shrugged, he didn't really know. He kept up a rhythm, back up Eggsy's cock, pressing his tongue firmly against the bottom before going back down, just a tiny bit more. It took time for Merlin to grow comfortable with it, but eventually his teeth grazed below Eggsy's knot which was just started to fill, Eggsy was so worked up by Merlin's blow job.

"Good, oh so good baby. Never actually had anyone go that low for me. So proud of my omega." Eggsy said, he could smell how happy the words made Merlin. He'd give Merlin all the praise he wanted. He nudged the dildo with his toes again and Merlin moaned and just barely grazed his teeth against Eggsy. "Oh fuck that felt good." Eggsy swore. "Be careful though, not too much." Merlin slid back up and swallowed as he pulled off. He looked Eggsy dead in the eye, having realized what Eggsy wanted him to do.

"I'm a little scared." He said, burr thick in his voice. But his body was producing so much slick the dildo kept trying to slide out.

Eggsy looked at him. "If you don't want to omega, you don't have to, but this is what you asked for, wanted. Me in charge. And this is what I want. Do this, and I'll believe you are serious." Eggsy said. "I know it is scary, but I'll keep you safe, promise Gregor. I'll hold you safe and take such good care of my amazing omega after." 

Merlin looked at him. "My alpha."

"Yes." Eggsy agreed. He pressed his fingers into the still raw bite mark and Merlin shuddered, a small orgasm pulled out of him. He nodded and leaned up. Eggsy kissed him gently. Merlin began to work Eggsy's cock again, he had barely flagged during the conversation. Merlin's mouth was hot, and wet and to see him worshipping at Eggsy like that made Eggsy so fucking turned on, more than he had ever been before. And Merlin sank lower and lower making sure his teeth were past the knot that had begun to fill more thoroughly. 

"Feels so good, omega. You are amazing, a natural cock sucker if ever there was one. Perhaps make you my cock warmer when we are at home hmmm? Just have you kneel there and have my cock in your mouth while I watch telly." Eggsy said. Merlin moaned around his length and the vibration was brutal. Eggsy wrapped a hand around Merlin's skull and quickened his movements. "Close baby, show me how good you want to be for me." Merlin hummed and sucked hard and wondered that he didn't choke on the thickness, though it was close. He was very happy that Eggsy wasn't quite built like a porn actor. Merlin's eyes were tearing a little, but he was never without air. It was only another couple minutes and Merlin sank down and felt Eggsy's knot pop in his mouth.

"Fuck Gregor." Eggsy shouted. Merlin swallowed and his mouth tightened a little and Eggsy came in his mouth. Merlin had to swallow a lot to make sure he didn't begin to choke on the come filling his mouth and it was difficult but soon Eggsy stopped pumping against his tongue. Merlin blinked, mouth open, jaw hurting just a little.

His alpha was locked in his mouth. It felt something, he wasn't quite sure what. He tried to look up and there was Eggsy smiling at him, praising him. And then Eggsy winked and pushed his foot up hard, lodging the dildo's fake know into Merlin's ass. If he could have screamed he would have, the feelings too much and not enough. He came on the ground, making a tiny pool.

"Going to make you lick that up later you know." Eggsy said. He cupped his hand carefully around Merlin's jaw to give him some support. "I never thought I'd have a partner I could do this with. Never thought it was something that could be done. Thank you my omega for trusting me with this." 

If Merlin could have smiled he would have.

Eggsy kept praising him, talking to him, distracting him from the ache and strange sensation of mouth forced opened for so long. Merlin was being so careful not to move his teeth, not to hurt his alpha. "So fucking perfect Gregor." Eggsy praised again. It felt like an eternity before Eggsy's knot softened and he was able to pull out of Merlin's mouth. He tugged Merlin onto the couch and gently removed the dildo from his body and massaged his jaw and throat. "Know your body will need proper taking care of soon, but would a bath feel good right now?" Eggsy asked. He blushed a little. It was a funny time to feel shy.

"A bath would feel good alpha." Merlin agreed. His voice was rough, throat aching a bit. "And something cool to drink?"

"Yeah, you bet." Eggsy agreed. "Can you get to the bath yourself or do you need help?"

"I can get there. Just...don't take long." Merlin stood on wobbily legs and went off to the bath.

He was soaking in the water, eyes closed when he heard Eggsy come in. He heard the clink of a glass and the brush of Eggsy as he settled on the floor beside the tub.

"Lots to talk about when your heat is done." Eggsy said. "Lots to figure out, to plan."

"Mmm" Merlin agreed, he felt floaty, he didn't want to think about that yet.

"I...hate that you played me, but I love the way I claimed you. Going to have to sort that out. Sort of like me learning you are Merlin at the office and Gregor here." Eggsy was quiet. "But think we'll get it mostly right." 

Merlin was about to open his eyes but he heard a small noise, one that he had never thought to hear. He kept his eyes closed even as he lifted his head a little. He thought his heart might stop when the leather touched his neck. The buckle slid into place and there was the click of the small lock.

"But this, this we got sorted well enough. You are my fucking omega." Eggsy said with a hard growl.

Merlin opened his eyes and looked at Eggsy. "Aye. I am."

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I meant for this chapter to be about merlin being properly punished for the first time and then it turned into something else entirely.

Eggsy looked around the cottage. "This is really ours?" He asked.

"Aye." Merlin huffed a little under the weight of the bookcase. "A little help Eggsy?" He said. 

"Oh, shit, right." Eggsy hurried over and grabbed an edge and they set it up in the front room. "It's just so, it's from a fairy tale." He smiled at Merlin. "Perfect place for us to be starting out." He noticed that Merlin looked a little tired. "Baby are you okay?"

"Fine Eggsy." Merlin said.

Eggsy touched his cheek. "Gregor..."

"Just a little heat hangover." Merlin said quietly leaning into the touch. "We were busy packing up right after I finished and body is still adjusting."

Eggsy looked at him. "Why didn't you tell me you didn't feel right?" His voice is a little more stern.

Merlin shrugged. "I should get another box." He tried to hurry away.

Eggsy growled a little and pressed down on his bite over Merlin's neck. "Baby, you best be telling me why you are trying to run away."

"We still have a lot of boxes." Merlin was very still under that hand. He couldn't quite look at Eggsy.

"Omega, thought we agreed we don't fucking lie to each other at home." Eggsy said. His grip was almost painful, but he didn't like Merlin looking sad.

"Not a lie, more an evasion." Merlin replied and tried to slip away from the hand.

Oh hell no. His omega wasn't getting away like that. Eggsy followed Merlin and twisted quickly so that Merlin ran into him. Eggsy twisted again so that Merlin was face first in the wall by the open front door. He gave Merlin's ass two quick slaps. "You want to try that again omega? Next swat the jeans come down."

Merlin gasped a little. And Eggsy froze, wondering if he had done something wrong. They had talked about a lot of this while they had been packing up, but had agreed that what Merlin wanted would wait until they were in their new home. Eggsy breathed easier when Merlin sort of went boneless and relied on the wall to hold him up.

"I'm sorry alpha." Merlin said.

"Don't just want sorry, baby, looking for an explanation." Eggsy said. He moved a little closer and pressed against Merlin. "I wish I were taller, trap you better here, wrap all the way around you."

Merlin frowned. "No like it, look where your mouth perfectly rests."

Eggsy smiled and nuzzled the collar a little so he could kiss his claim mark. "Tell me baby."

"I..." Merlin took a breath. "I could have used more sex, to adjust my reaction to the heat."

Eggsy laughed a little. "That's it? You just needed more sex? Why didn't you say baby, would have happily loved you up." Merlin didn't laugh though and Eggsy was worried. "Baby?"

"I like when you call me baby." Merlin whispered. "Stupid, my age, liking that."

"Not stupid at all." Eggsy kissed his mark again. "Talk to me Gregor."

"You haven't asked for sex since my heat finished." Merlin said, eyes closed. "I thought...well I'm happy as yours even if you just want me when I'm in heat."

"Wow, wow, wot the fuck?" Eggsy's eyes widened and he spun Merlin around. "You fink I don't want you?"

"You stay to your side of the bed at night, barely a touch or a glimpse of ye." Merlin replied. "I've hardly even seen your cock since I finished. Thought maybe..."

Eggsy held Merlin's jaw tight and kissed him hard. Merlin moaned. "I were being a fucking gentleman like Harry taught me. Like the Kingsman taught me." He looked at Merlin and opened up a little. "Mum was always rough after a heat finished, and Dean...he never gave her time to recover. Thought you needed space."

Merlin shook his head no.

"Okay then." Eggsy kissed him again. "Baby giving you a house rule okay?" Merlin grinned happily, Eggsy had only given three rules for them as of yet and Merlin treasured each one. "You fucking tell me when you need sex."

Merlin frowned a little, he didn't want to do that to his alpha, but Eggsy's smile was wicked. "You get on your hands and knees and crawl to wherever I am in the house and you beg for my cock." Eggsy leaned in. "And if you beg pretty enough, maybe I will." He pulled back. "I promise Gregor, I want you all the damn time. I was honestly trying to give you space."

Merlin stared at him. "I don't want space, I want you." He ducked his head a little. "Hurting alpha, I need you to make me feel better. Please can you make me feel better?"

"Maybe." Eggsy replied. "My omega's hole aching, needs a kiss better?"

Merlin groaned. "Yes alpha, please. Please make me feel better." 

Eggsy nodded. "My good omega. No more hiding what you need. My job to take care of you innit?" He popped open the fly of Merlin's jeans. "Not in charge anymore baby, so you don't get to decide that you know how it is, no more assumptions. You come to me with the problem and let me fix it, okay?"

Merlin nodded and his knees went weak when he felt Eggsy press against his hole. 

"How much slick you do outside your heat baby?" Eggsy asked.

"Not a lot." Merlin admitted, ashamed.

"Well good thing I bought some lube and it's already in the bedroom. Haul your ass up there. You have a two minute head start to get naked and in presenting position." Eggsy said. He pushed Merlin towards the stairs, giving his ass another hard swat. "Go on baby."

Merlin hurried to the stairs, letting his jeans and pants drop before he headed up. Eggsy groaned at the sight and shut and lock the front door. How Merlin could think Eggsy didn't want him, he'd never know. He would spend the next hour showing Merlin exactly how fucking sexy Eggsy thought he was.

*****************************

Before they knew it they were settled into the cottage and expected back at work. Eggsy pouted a little. "That means you are going back to wearing clothes. I like naked Gregor." Eggsy looked down at Merlin who was kneeling at his feet. He had spent the last few days alternating between unpacking and loving his omega up. It had been a good time off. He looked at the line of Merlin's back. "Yeah, definitely like naked Gregor."

But Merlin didn't laugh. He turned his head a little and his face was a mass of sorrow. "Will ye want to take the collar off tonight sir, or on the morrow before we go to work?"

Eggsy looked at him, it had only been a couple weeks but he had gotten used to seeing the collar on Merlin, liked how it looked. Nothing had ever really belonged to him before and this, this showed that something, someone was his. "How do you do the job with the collar on knowing that alpha wankers like Kay and Dinadin, will treat you different again? They'll see the collar and be all like how they were coddle the omega."

"They are welcome to try." Merlin said, his voice hard. "This strip of leather means everything here,  _everything_ , but it changes nothing at the office."

"Gregor, it changes how some will perceive you. I don't like it and it ain't right, but you walk in there with that around your neck, it will change things."

"And you don't like what it says about you, how it will change how they look at you as well." Merlin said.

"Right come up here." Eggsy said and he tugged Merlin onto the couch. "I told you I was uncomfortable you wearing it around London and I am, not going to lie to you on that baby." Eggsy looked at him. "But in this, this thing, this isn't my choice to make."

Merlin stared at him. "I'm sorry?"

"Been thinking about it. Near as I can figure, you gave everything to this job and still will give it most of you, so this choice, this is something I'm not going to take away from you." Eggsy took a deep breath. "My omega, I will not stop you and will in fact support you if you choose to wear your collar at the Kingsman estate."

Eggsy waited for a response from Merlin, but the man seemed to be stone. He poked him and there was nothing. "Okay, I'm uh...I'll go make you a cuppa, let me know when you come back online." Eggsy got up and went to the kitchen. When he returned with a tea tray Merlin wasn't on the couch anymore but back on the ground. 

"Put the tray down alpha." Merlin said quietly. Eggsy quickly put it down and watched as Merlin crawled over to him.

"Fuck I'll never get tired of that." Eggsy breathed out. Merlin knelt up and nuzzled at the crotch of Eggsy's jeans. "And fuck you smell good Gregor." Joy and lust were just pouring off the omega. 

"Thank ye alpha. I would very much like to keep the collar on at work." Merlin said. "May I show you how very much I appreciate ye doing this for me?"

"Yeah, what would that appreciation entail?" Eggsy asked with a quirk of his brow.

Merlin smiled and leaned back and slid a hand slowly down his own body. "May I put on a show for ye?"

"Oh that will be a very good start baby." Eggsy settled onto a chair and poured some of the tea. "Slow, make yourself desperate for release."

"Yes alpha." Merlin said seriously.

That night they were curled together in bed. "Thank ye Eggsy."

"You prepared to deal with any bullshit, because I'll support you there, but I ain't going to stand in front of you, not in your domain." Eggsy said.

"I can handle it."

Eggsy snorted. "No shit."

Merlin grinned, it was a vicious, bloody look.

******************************

Eggsy and Merlin decided to walk to the estate from the cottage the next morning. Eggsy gave Merlin one last thorough desperate kiss at the door and yanked on the collar hard. "Mine Gregor." He said firmly.

"Yours alpha." Merlin agreed. He straightened his shoulders and smoothed his sweater over his stomach. Eggsy nodded and they stepped out the door. They walked side by side, so very close, but never quite touching. The reached the estate and Eggsy gave him a nod.

"Merlin, call me when you have more intel on that situation in Hong Kong." 

"Will do Galahad, in the mean time, I suggest improving your accuracy with rifles, ye pull to the left." Merlin nodded to him and without another word separated from Eggsy to go to his own office.

He settled at his desk and his assistant came in. "Sir, things have been 75% smooth while you have been absent, but there are a couple issues we need to -" She stuttered to a stop seeing the strip of leather on his boss's neck. "Sir that's a - "

"What situations are problematic Mirium?" Merlin asked.

She blinked and took a deep breath. "Yes sir, here are the files." She glanced down again briefly but then they settled into a two hour meeting. She stood after Merlin dismissed her. "Sir, if I may?"

"I've never stopped ye from speaking your mind." Merlin said.

"Chester King was a vile contemptible man, and I am glad he's dead so that you can have this happiness sir." She said in a rush. "I'm proud to work for you, and I'm happy that you are happy sir. You glow."

He grinned, "Happens when ye spend two weeks getting fucked by an alpha in his prime."

It was the first time Merlin ever heard his assistant laugh so loud. "Sir." She said after she composed herself. "Will you actually take lunch breaks now?"

He shook his head, "No, home is home and work is work."

"I understand sir. I'll enter the data we discussed." She nodded and left the room.

Merlin wondered if it was all going to be this easy.

The call into Arthur's office a that evening suggested not.

Arthur sat behind his desk and looked at Merlin. "Well at least the rumour mill was accurate."

Merlin looked him in the eye. "Oh did ye hear about Tristan's tryout for Britain's Got Talent as well?" 

Arthur smiled a little. "Is this how we are going to play it then?"

"Aye." Merlin said. "Especially since there is nothing in the regulations against it."

"I have heard from no less than 7 agents and a dozen support staff about this."

"What did they have to say?" Merlin was curious, it was more than he expected.

"The agents were a mix of being offended on your behalf and worried that you were coerced, a couple who worry that you will become too addled by having an alpha now to do your job properly and Lancelot and Percival promising to kick anyone's ass that were being particularly stupid over you making your choices." Arthur paused. "It was your choice to wear that today, correct?"

Merlin was silent and just looked at him.

Arthur shook his head. "Of course it was. Oh and I am fining you a week's pay for that claiming stunt you pulled. Not that the free sex show wasn't a delight, but it was rather disruptive to work."

Merlin nodded. "That is more than reasonable sir, I...was in error to play things out like that."

"But you don't actually regret it."

"No sir." Merlin paused. "What were the support staff reactions."

Arthur smiled. "They want to throw you a mating party and several asked if that meant that they could wear their collars to work as well. They support you utterly Merlin." Arthur looked at him. "As do I."

"Thank ye Arthur."

"Dismissed Merlin." 

Merlin left without another word. He rather into Dinadin in the hall.

"Omega." Dinadin said politely. "Will your alpha permit us to have a discussion?"

"Galahad permits fuck all here when it comes to my work and my name is Merlin." Merlin's voice is soft. 

"Actually I understand that your name is -" Dinadin began.

Merlin put him in the wall. "Say what ye've heard and I'll collect your tongue. My name, my title, is Merlin. Ye need not address me as anything else. And if ye think ye do need to, then you don't need to address me at all."

Dinadin just nodded, but refused to call him Merlin. Merlin released him. "Ye are wheels up in two hours for Mexico City. Prepare your kit." Dinadin left without another word.

Merlin shook his head and walked to his office. He stayed working until late, trying to catch up on everything he had missed. He had a 3 hour old text from Eggsy that said he was headed to the cottage. Merlin realized nothing more would be accomplished and walked home. He got in the door and breathed out slowly. 

Eggsy came out of the kitchen. "Put some leftovers in the oven for you Gregor."

Merlin nodded. 

Eggsy looked at him, "Need help with your buttons baby?" Merlin just nodded again. Eggsy came over and helped Merlin strip all the way down. Merlin felt the tension leave him with every single layer peeled away. "Want me to feed you while you kneel?" Merlin nodded and they went to the dining room, where Eggsy took care of his omega.

They watched t.v. Merlin at Eggsy's feet. Eggsy touched the collar, touched his bite.

"Rough?"

"Rough enough." Merlin said.

"Keeping it on tomorrow?" 

Merlin kept his eyes on the screen. "Ye bet your lush yet pert fucking ass I am."

Eggsy smiled. That was his Gregor.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right so this chapter is going to deal with Merlin being punished. Everything has been talked about, planned, and agreed upon before and this is Merlin so if he didn't want this happening - it wouldn't be happening.

"Merlin, I'm headed home, you need anything from me?" Eggsy asked at his door. 

Merlin didn't look up from his keyboard. "Nae, Galahad. Good night."

"Are you coming home tonight?" Eggsy asked. Merlin had been home incredibly late all week. Ever since Eggsy had gotten back from a mission in Cairo.

"Aye, I just need to prep this mission for Lancelot."

"Didn't know she was going wheels up." Eggsy kept his voice mild. He knew for a fact, Roxy was in the midst of building a persona and wasn't heading out for two weeks.

"Some news came in, I need to adjust the plans a little."

"Well, I won't wait on dinner. Good night Merlin." Eggsy hoped his scent wasn't too sad, he was missing his mate. But if Merlin said it was work, he believed him. 

"Good night Galahad."

Eggsy just wished Merlin would look at him. He left and didn't notice how Merlin flinched just a little at the scent of sadness that poured off of Eggsy.

Eggsy was heading down the steps of the estate when Roxy called out to him. "Hey Rox."

"Here that book you wanted, remember?" She held it out.

"Thanks." 

"What's wrong?" Roxy asked. The stench coming off Eggsy was thick.

"Nothing, it's nothing." Eggsy answered. "So what's the hiccup for your mission?"

Roxy frowned. "Hiccup?"

"Yeah whatever it is that has Merlin chained to his desk."

"Nothing's come up." Roxy said. "Everything is still as smooth as silk."

And with that Eggsy's sadness turned to anger. The shift in his scent was dramatic enough that it caused Roxy to step back. "Problem, Eggsy?"

"Oh yes, but not actually your problem, so see you later yeah?" Eggsy didn't wait for a response, just jogged home, hoping it would burn off some of his feelings.

It didn't. Eggsy turned the oven on and threw something in and went to have a shower while it cooked. He came down and eat and thought about a beer, but he wanted to have a very clear head. He prowled around their cottage and the place was just full of the scent of angry alpha. More an alpha, angry at his mate. It was a harsh pungent smell and made Merlin pause at their door when he arrived home 3 hours later.

Merlin took a breath and walked in. "Eggsy?"

"In the living room Gregor." Eggsy called out. 

Merlin went to the front room and the scent was even stronger there. It made him want to whimper. That scent was about him, he could just feel it. He put one foot in the room and froze when Eggsy growled. "Manners, omega. Is that how you are dressed when you greet me?"

The last five nights, Merlin hadn't bothered getting naked, especially when Eggsy hadn't commented on it. He brought his foot back from the room. "I'll go sir. May I shower before returning to ye?"

Eggsy thought about it. "Yeah, okay. And when you come down, bring the small black box under my side of the bed yeah?"

Merlin nodded and left. Eggsy sighed. Merlin had smelled worried. And guilty. They were a little off and needed to get back on course. But first Eggsy needed to figure out what had made them off.

15 minutes later, Merlin came downstairs. He hovered in the doorway, held the box close.

"You can walk in my omega, know it would be hard to crawl with that. Come sit on the couch and we'll talk."

Merlin walked slowly in and sank onto the couch beside Eggsy. Eggsy took the box from him and opened it. He slowly pulled out a few items from the box. Nipple clamps, an old wooden brush, a plug, and a couple other things. Merlin stared at each thing. The last item pulled out was the leash that attached to his collar. He whimpered, excited and nervous. Eggsy hadn't touched it before really.

"So Gregor, want to tell me why you've been staying late at the office when I know you didn't have that much work."

"I always have work."

"Really?" Eggsy growled. The leather in his hands snapped a bit.

Merlin flinched but then moved in closer. He didn't even think he just dropped to his knees in between Eggsy's legs. "Alpha."

"Ran into Roxy, she said there weren't no hiccup with her mission that needed sorting. So which one of you were lying?"

"Sometimes things come up on our end and we don't inform an agent as it is a problem that will be dealt with before they actually are wheels up." Merlin's voice is very careful.

"It that the case here?" Eggsy grabbed Merlin's chin hard and tilted his head up. Merlin didn't answer and Eggsy gave him a light smack on the cheek. "If I have to ask again, punishment gets worse baby."

"No, that wasn't the case here." Merlin answered.

"Deliberately been ignoring me then?" Eggsy frowned.

Merlin nodded and didn't look up.

Eggsy pulled on the collar choking Merlin just a little. "You answer properly, you fucking useless -" Eggsy paused when Merlin's scent changed from sad to shame. "You answer properly, my omega." He could feel the relief in Merlin. Eggsy realized it was too easy to slip into the way Dean talked, that was what he knew. But humiliation wasn't for them. He decided to take a different tack. "Oh baby, you got yourself all messed up in your head over something didn't you?" Eggsy cooed softly. He stopped choking the collar and rubbed his fingers under it.

Merlin purred and leaned into the touch happily, though a little confused at the change. He blinked when the leash snapped onto the D ring and Eggsy began to tug on it. Merlin didn't really have a chance to do anything but crawl along. Eggsy tugged the leash until Merlin stood. Eggsy faced Merlin into the corner and wrapped the leash on a small hook on the wall. "No leaning, at ease, legs a little more apart." He adjust Merlin until he had him exactly how he wanted him. "Good omega." Eggsy licked at his claim mark and smiled at Merlin's moan. "What a good boy, much better than you've been. You have been having a problem but buried it in work instead of letting me deal with it. That shows me that you don't trust me, and that makes me sad Gregor." Oh but Merlin's scent was hurt and sad and Eggsy wanted to comfort him, but not quite yet. "You've been ignoring me, so fair is fair." 

And Eggsy left him in the corner.

Merlin could feel that he wasn't in the room anymore, but didn't turn around. He stood there his posture not moving, not even rocking on his feet. He could just barely hear Eggsy working in the kitchen. He felt horrible. This was worse than if Eggsy had flogged him. At least then Eggsy would be here with him. He heard movement and tried to reign in his scent a little.

But Eggsy caught the confusion and desolation. But he still didn't say a word. He put the tea tray down and snuggled into the corner of the couch and picked up a book and utterly ignored Merlin for an hour. He could tell Merlin was getting increasingly agitated his scent was all over the place, and he was trying so very hard not to move. Eggsy put his book down. "Sucks being ignored don't it?"

Merlin bowed his head a little.

"Want to tell me what this was about then, omega mine?" Eggsy asked.

Merlin didn't say anything.

"Okay then." Eggsy picked up his book again but after another thirty minutes Merlin seemed only more resolved. Time to wreck that. Eggsy put his book down and took off his shirt. He watched as Merlin's shoulders got tense, recognizing the noise. "Sorry guv, but see my omega's been ignoring me and I don't like that. But I also been getting used to regular loving and haven't made friends with my hand because well my omega has such pretty holes for me to use. But guess my hand will do right now." Eggsy smiled when a small whimper came out of Merlin. He shifted his head just a little. "Eyes on the wall Gregor." He unsnapped his jeans and pulled them and his pants off. He dragged his hand slowly over himself. "Don't like my nipples being played with as much as you, but still can have a bit of fun with it." Eggsy exaggerated his moans a bit as he pinched his nipples. He could smell the arousal beginning to pour off him and could tell the moment that scent reached Merlin.

Merlin felt his knees tremble a little. Eggsy, his alpha, shouldn't be pleasuring himself, it was Merlin's job to make him feel good. Merlin kept his eyes on the wall, just like Eggsy had ordered him.

Eggsy moved his hand down and wrapped it around his cock. "Mmmm, that feels good. Don't pop a knot when I wank, but still feels good. Real good." Eggsy groaned as he dragged his thumb over his tip. "Could use a little something. Hold on got some of that synthetic slick in the box." He wet his hand and the sound of him jerking off grew louder in the room, and Eggsy's scent grew richer. He looked over and Merlin was clenching his fists, the knuckles were white. "Still, feel like something a little different, I think." Eggsy added a little more fake slick to his finger, it had a neutral scent, he wished it was burnt caramel like Merlin. "Wonder what it would feel like if I pushed a finger in."

Merlin's scent spiked with both arousal and regret. It was a heady mix, filled Eggsy's nose. He looked over and realized that Merlin was clenching his ass a bit. "Relax there omega mine. I know I have to if I want this to fit in. Should start with just slow circles, like I do with you yeah? Tease a little before pushing in. Wonder how tight my hole is, never experimented with this." Eggsy matched his movements to his words, wanking with one hand and pressing against his hole with his other. "Move your feet a couple more inches apart Gregor." And Eggsy hissed a little as he pushed his finger in. "Fuck me, that feels different."

Merlin's legs were shaking and his control was melting away. He just wanted to crawl over and let his alpha use his body. He was hard and could feel his slick wanting to drip out of him. He never used to produce a lot of slick due to the years of drugs, but since mating, he had had more. All he wanted to do was lean against the wall and push out, for Eggsy to come over and use him. This was the worst punishment ever listening to his alpha and not being able to touch to service.

"Going for two fingers now." Eggsy said, voice thick. "Do you think they'd go in easier if it was your slick covering them, instead of this synthetic shit?" Eggsy's grin went feral when Merlin moaned. He watched as a bit of slick dripped out of Merlin onto the floor. He pulled his finger out of his ass and walked over but stayed just far enough away to not brush any skin against Merlin. He just let his scent wrap around his omega. "Making a mess on the floor baby, but don't you worry, I'll clean it up for you." Eggsy sank to his knees. "Hmmm, forgot a towel, guess I should just lick your pretty slick up off the ground."

And that was enough to destroy Merlin, the thought of his alpha, his fucking perfect Eggsy, doing that was too much. He collapsed against the wall. "I'm sorry alpha, I'm so sorry."

"There we go." Eggsy said quietly as he undid the leash from the wall and moved them both back over the couch. He sat Merlin on his lap, which should have felt odd since Merlin was a couple inches taller, but the omega curled himself into a ball and was scenting at Eggsy's neck, filling himself with the sent of alpha. He kept apologizing and apologizing.

"Shh, baby, shh omega mine." Eggsy cooed. "Tell me what this was about baby."

"You didn't turn off your comms like ye thought on your mission." Merlin said, brushing away a tear. "Ye flirted with that 19 year old omega to finish the mission, and ye thought ye had turned them off and ye didn't."

"Oh baby." Eggsy said and he rubbed his hand over his back. 

"I know it was fake, I know it." Merlin curled in more. "But you said those things, let her scent you just a little." Merlin whimpered. "And it was the job, I know it was the job, but -"

"But for a second you worried that I meant what I said, they maybe I didn't regret our heat of the moment claim. That we had an understanding, that I was looking for some fun." Eggsy finished. Merlin nodded against his neck. "So instead of being my strong Gregor, and talking to me about it, you hid." Another nod.

"You make me weak." Gregor whispered against him.

"She were pretty and smelled nice sure." Eggsy wrapped his fingers over Merlin's scent gland and pressed down hard, hard enough to hurt. "But nice don't mean much next to you." He scraped his fingers against the gland, over his claim bite. Merlin shuddered in his lap and Eggsy's lap grew damp from the slick. He was surprised how much there was, it seemed that Merlin did honestly want to be punished by his alpha. That he enjoyed it. Eggsy pressed again against his bite. "Oh baby, almost feels like you could come from just this. My pet, what would a care about a silly girl when I have you? You had faith enough to pick me, have the faith to keep me, omega mine." Eggsy scraped at the mark once more. "Have the faith to fight for us always, Gregor."

Merlin kissed his throat. "I will, my alpha. I promise." Another kiss. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are baby, I know." Eggsy replied. He watched as Merlin slid off his lap and began to lick away the slick that had dampened his thighs. "What would make you feel better right now, baby?"

"Use me? Please my alpha, didn't like you taking care of yourself." Merlin pouted a little and Eggsy thought it was the cutest thing ever. 

He tossed a pillow onto the ground. "Rest your head on that."

Merlin twisted and lay his head and shoulders down and pushed up on his knees. Eggsy sank onto the ground behind him. He pushed two fingers into Merlin easily. "Oh, baby, sound of me wanking got you this slick?" He pinched Merlin's ass hard. Laughed as Merlin clenched around his fingers. He pulled his fingers out and mounted Merlin and fucked him hard. It was a brutal fucking, a claiming and Merlin was moaning, begging Eggsy to knot him, for more.

Eggsy was getting close, knew his fingers were bruising Merlin's hips, but before his knot could fully form, he pulled out of Merlin grabbed the alpha sleeve from the box and slid it over his knot and tightened it. The pressure made him come over Merlin's back. Merlin whimpered at the loss. Eggsy's breath was harsh. "Bad omegas don't get knotted." He gave Merlin's ass another hard pinch and three slaps. "You have to earn back my knot baby." But Eggsy sat on the ground and pulled Merlin back into his lap. 

Merlin was shaking from the loss, so close to his orgasm, but Eggsy wouldn't let him tip over, just soothed him until the worst had past. "Tomorrow, unless there is a legit emergency you come home on time, omega mine and then you can properly make it up to me, and if you do a very good job you can come on my knot."

"Thank you alpha." Merlin whimpered.

Eggsy kissed him and they stayed cuddled on the ground until Eggsy could take the knot sleeve off. They went to the shower and cleaned each other up and Eggsy kept scenting Merlin, letting him know he was there, that he was Eggsy's. That Eggsy didn't want more than Merlin.

When they crawled into bed Eggsy looked at him. "Gregor, I won't interfere with your work but that means I have to trust you to not lie and hide in your work. That you'll come to me when you have a concern that is personal. You put yourself in my hands omega mine and if you don't trust that, then we're right fucked."

Merlin nodded. "I know." He paused. "It's scary. Giving you everything."

"Yeah, I know. Scares the shit out of me too." Eggsy smiled a little. "But it's good too, innit?"

"Aye." Merlin agreed. "I am sorry Eggsy."

"I know omega mine. You are forgiven." Eggsy kissed him.

The next night Merlin walked home with Eggsy right on time.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a bit of a shorter one but i hope you enjoy

"Hey Gregor?" Eggsy was sprawled in the bed and watching as Merlin shaved in the ensuite. 

"Hmmm?"

"What's with the straight razor?" Eggsy watched his slow, smooth strokes. "Seems a little hardcore."

"Harry bought it for me." Merlin explained. He took a few more strokes. "He was always giving me these tips on how to perform masculinity that would throw off the idea I was anything but beta. He showed me how to do this, when I was...30. It was a birthday gift actually." He smiled fondly.

“I miss him.” Eggsy said. He realized that maybe that was a silly thing to say to Merlin. “I mean not like you do, but he was a good bloke.”

“He was.” Merlin put on some aftershave and carefully put it all away. “Is there something you want to know, alpha mine?”

“Did you love him?”

“Aye.” Merlin said simply. He sat on the bed and touched the small of Eggsy’s back. “But it was nae romantic. He…” Merlin took a breath. “He was a partner, a friend, a life line. To have one person I could trust with my secret helped me endure. I would have stayed at his side forever, and I’ll see him again.”

“You believe?”

“I do.” Merlin left it at that though. “If you want though, I can tell you what I feel for ye is different. It is more.”

Eggsy looked at him. “Yeah?”

“He helped me a couple times, but I never desired him, I mean yes he was fucking gorgeous and good in bed, but I never wanted him outside those heats. And I never submitted to him, the way I do to ye.” Merlin looked at him. “I never let him own me.”

“Oh.” Eggsy flushed a little at the tone of Merlin’s voice. “Would you care to submit, right now my omega?”

“Hmmm, that sounds lovely, but we have to go to work.”

“Boo!” Eggsy protested, but he sat up. “Gregor, could you get a couple nights off?”

Merlin thought about it. “I am owed 5 months of vacation time, I think I could arrange 2 nights.”

“Your birthday is coming up, thought maybe we could go away for a couple nights, maybe to Paris or something.” Eggsy shrugged. “Thought maybe whisking my omega away would be romantic. If that interests you.”

Merlin smiled and nuzzled Eggsy’s cheek. “It interests me very much.” he flipped through his mental calendar. “Birthday’s in a month, but that weekend there is a big mission. The weekend before though, that could work. Two or three nights?”

“Hmmm, three nights away with my omega? That sounds right nice to me.” 

“Shall I make the arrangements?”

“Just to get us there. I’ll take care of the rest.” Eggsy promised. 

“Very well. Three weeks from now.”

“Three weeks.”

 

********************************

To the shock of both of them, they were actually able to go. They were both sure something would happen to cock it up, but here they were in a limo that picked them up at the train station and being whisked away to the hotel Eggsy had reserved. 

He was pleased with the front, he went for a small boutique hotel, that he had researched thoroughly. “This hotel, Gregor, is a big part of your birthday gift.”

“Is it terribly posh?” he teased Eggsy.

“No, but it took a lot to find what I wanted for you.”

Merlin was curious. And even more curious when Eggsy got out of the car and held out a hand for him. They went into the hotel and it was beautiful. Dark wood, low lights, and lovely furniture. But something felt different. It took him a minute to place it and then an alpha walked by with an omega on a leash.

“Oh.”

“Yeah. This place caters to traditional couples.” Eggsy said, his scent a little nervous. “I made sure to pack your collar. I’d...you could wear it the next three days.”   
“Eggsy.” Merlin’s scent spiked with happiness. He ducked his head into his alpha’s neck.

“Happy birthday Gregor. Let’s get checked in.” Eggsy nudged him over to the counter and soon they were in their room, which was elegant and simple and had leash hooks on the wall, and lock places on all the furniture. Merlin’s scent went from happy to overjoyed at it all. Eggsy’s scent matched, just happy for his omega.

“Room service or the restaurant here?”

“Restaurant I think.” Merlin smiled. “I want to show off my collar.” This was the first time Eggsy hadn’t been apprehensive of Merlin wearing it outside the home of the estate and he planned to relish every second. They dressed nicely, Eggsy in a suit, Merlin in just waistcoat and shirt, buttons open enough to show off his collar.

When they got to the restaurant, Merlin realized the kneeling was an option and he gave his best puppy eyes to Eggsy. 

“Please alpha?” He looked at an omega kneeling, her head rested against her alpha. “Please?”

“Of course Gregor.” Eggsy held his chin tight for a moment. “Rest of the weekend though, just let go and trust me, just like we were at home, yeah?” And oh Merlin’s smile was blinding.

“Yes alpha.”

After they were lead to the table, he helped Merlin kneel and ordered for them both, a large sampler plate and Eggsy fed Merlin carefully. They were both so relaxed and perhaps growing tipsy on the wine.

They went to the bar and shared a couple more drinks, before going up to the room. “Naked, Gregor.”

“Yes alpha.” their scents were filled with lust and Merlin could feel a bit of slick. He stripped quickly and then knelt in front of Eggsy. He nuzzled at the crotch of the trousers. Eggsy was feeling generous and unzipped the fly so that Merlin could lick and suck at flesh. Eggsy moaned but didn’t let Merlin work him to more than half erect. He had plans. He pulled away and smiled when Merlin tried to follow.

“On the bed Gregor, on your knees, hands holding the headboard.” Merlin hurried to comply and Eggsy stripped down before going over. He adjusted Merlin a little until he liked the sight of him, thought it was perfect. “Is it horrible that I’ve dreamed of branding your flesh?” Eggsy asked.

Merlin shuddered and his scent went haywire.

“Is that fear, disgust...or pleasure?” Eggsy asked.

“I dinnae know.” Merlin admitted. “Nae disgust.”

Eggsy scraped his nails hard down Merlin’s thighs, leaving small lines that disappeared quickly. “A Kingsman symbol, but instead of the K, an E. On your shoulder, no on your thigh, so that when I am away you could easily touch your fingers to it, to remember I’m always with you.” He traced a finger over his thigh. “There.” 

Merlin’s scent was growing thick and his slick was ready to drip from him.

“But a brand hurts too much, and can easily go wrong.” Eggsy kissed the small of his back. “And it is my job to keep you safe, omega.”

“A tattoo?” Merlin begged.

“Well now that is an interesting idea.” Eggsy mused. “And one I’ll consider. But for now there are more pressing things?”

“Like what?” Merlin whispered.

“Like my tongue against your hole.” Eggsy swiped at the bit of slick and began to lick Merlin open. He hadn’t done this much for Merlin. Or rather he had done it lots but usually just a few swipes because they got too anxious for more. Tonight he was going to take his time. He gripped Merlin’s thighs tight to hold him still and took his time, opening up Merlin with his mouth, enjoying the way his tongue was getting coated with slick. He sat back to move his jaw a little bit. Merlin was rock hard and dripping precome.

“Could I get you off just from this?”

“I dinnae know alpha. I think not.”

“Well, I’ll try a little longer.” Eggsy went back to work and enjoyed Merlin’s moans and cries, but it looked like he was right, which was what Eggsy expected. Eggsy knelt up and lined up his cock against Merlin. “Fuck yourself back onto me omega.”

Merlin pushed slowly back and felt Eggsy push into him a little. Merlin paused and moved forward away. Eggsy had used two fingers at the end along with his tongue, and he was slick but he needed to take this slow, for the pleasure if nothing else. He wanted to drive himself crazy, and wondered if Eggsy would let him.

And he did, and it was actually painful that his alpha was letting Merlin torture himself like this. Which was probably the sneaky bastard’s point. “Alpha please.” Merlin begged, hoping he would take over.

“No, Merlin if you want to come, earn it. Now fuck yourself on me.” But Eggsy wrapped a hand on Merlin’s hip to help him out. 

Merlin stopped teasing and began to rock back and forth harder and faster. He just focused on the feel of Eggsy in him and how much he hoped Eggsy’s knot would pop. He started to babble everything he still wanted to do with Eggsy, until something he said made Eggsy snap and Eggsy finally began to move as well. It became perfect then, their bodies moving in tandem and Eggsy finally touching his cock. It went quickly then and soon enough they were coming, and Eggsy was locked into him. Eggsy eased them down onto the bed and licked at his claim mark.

When they had their breath back he asked, “Do you really want that?”

“Want what?”

“Another public claiming.”

Merlin was quiet. “Aye.”

“This hotel has an open night tomorrow night, or I researched a club here in the city that I thought would suit.”

“Ye want to take me to a club.”

“Yeah, I think I do.” Eggsy admitted. “It could be interesting. And fun, but we would set some rules and limits before we go.”

“Of course.”

“Because I will murder any other alpha that touches you.” Eggsy growled.

Merlin groaned at how sexy that was.

“The club then, please alpha.” Merlin asked.

“Okay. I also want to spoil my pretty omega a little, shopping in Paris and all that.”

“Nae so pretty.” Merlin mumbled.

Eggsy growled a little and sucked hard at his bite. “You are my beautiful omega, my perfect Gregor. And that is all of that, are we clear? Unless you want to sleep on the floor tonight.”

“Yes, alpha.” 

“Good.” Eggsy smiled. “Good omega mine.”

Merlin’s scent was perfectly content as he fell asleep on Eggsy’s knot.

******************************

“Hey Merlin, good time away?” his second in command asked. “You looked well rested. And well loved.” she teased.

“Aye, it was a good time away.” he said nothing more and they got to work.

  
His fingers brushed against his thigh, where the tattoo was healing.


	11. Chapter 11

"Sure Mum, it ain't no problem." Eggsy said as he juggled three different things. "Been missing my best girl, we'd be happy to come over and watch her." Eggsy chatted for a few more minutes with his mum before hanging up and going to Merlin's office. He watched the man work, guiding Dinadin through a mission, the man listening carefully to Merlin for once. It was over soon enough and the man made a crack about  _good omega_ , that Merlin let slide.

"I thought you weren't having problems no more." Eggsy said after Merlin turned off his comms.

"Nae now." Merlin said with a sigh. "We can discuss tonight."

"Actually we can't, we're on babysitting duty."

Merlin smiled. "It will be a pleasure to watch Daisy."

"You mean spoil her." Eggsy teased gently.

"It's my choice." Merlin grinned. "But if ye can pin me to the mats in under 10 minutes, I'll nae bring her more than one gift."

Eggsy snorted a little. "You are on." 

Of course, Eggsy lost miserably, but he didn't give it 100%, he rather loved how Merlin spoiled Daisy.

That night Merlin brought his magic box and Michelle kissed his cheek and rolled her eyes. "Tell me something in there is educational?"

"It all is, I assure you." he promised.

"Right." she kissed Eggsy and promised to be back by 10. Daisy was already in pajamas and smelling of strawberry shampoo. 

"Uncle Gregor!" Daisy ran and jumped and Merlin easily caught her. "You smell happy."

"Well spending time with ye makes me happy." Merlin nuzzles her a bit.

"Makes me happy too."

"Hi Daisy." Eggsy said, holding out his arms.

"Yeah hi, Eggsy. Uncle Gregor can we watch a movie, and play ponies?"

"Aye, and I brought something interesting I think."

"Oooh to keep?"

"If ye like, aye ye can keep." Merlin turned and carried Daisy to the family room, leaving Eggsy in the hall. 

"What am I chopped liver?" Eggsy shouted after them.

"We need hot chocolate!" Merlin shouted back. 

When Eggsy went to the family room, there was classical music playing and Merlin had set up a projector and he and Daisy were on the ground looking at planets and stars move around on the ceiling. Merlin was pointing out constellations, and telling the ancient stories. He was mixing in Scottish and Irish tales along the old Greek myths. Daisy was listening and pointing at moons as they moved.

"Eggsy, he's showing me the universe."

Eggsy sat on the ground beside Merlin. "Yeah, he does that for me too."

Eventually Merlin turned it off and they all settled into to play a couple board games, with ridiculous blatant cheating before they curled under blankets and watched a movie. Daisy fell asleep 20 minutes in and Eggsy watched Merlin stroke her curls and how in her sleep Daisy nuzzled into the omega. 

"I'll carry her up to bed." Eggsy whispered.

"Nae, I have the sweet lass." Merlin picked her up so gently and carried her upstairs. Eggsy tidied the room and rinsed all their mugs. But Merlin hadn't come back down. He went upstairs and peeked in Daisy's room. Merlin was just sitting on the ground beside her tiny bed and looking at her with a gaze Eggsy hadn't seen before.

Joy. Loss. Wistful. Heartbreaking.

It all rolled over his omega's face. And Eggsy didn't know what to do except go back downstairs.

It was a quiet drive home and when they walked in the door, Merlin looked at Eggsy. "I'm going to have a bath alpha."

"Yeah, go on, I'll make a cuppa heavy on the Irish and bring it to you." Eggsy nuzzled his claim mark. "We'll talk."

Merlin nodded and went upstairs.

Eggsy went into the kitchen and set the kettle on and found he couldn't get enough air. He was panicking and he didn't know why. He gripped the sink edge and tried to slow his heart. He could hear the water running upstairs and he grabbed a cup and threw in a lot of whiskey before taking a few pulls of the bottle itself. He added the tea and hot water and grabbed the cup, not caring that the heat stung his hand.

The bathroom smelled of Merlin, his gorgeous scent, and of vanilla from the bath oils. Eggsy put the cup into the hand that was reaching out and then sat on the plush bath mat. They were quiet and Eggsy grew warm in the steamy room and pulled off his shirt.

"I don't want a child." Eggsy finally said. "I'm sorry Merlin but I can't. I can't leave a son like how Dad left me. I can't...I just can't." Eggsy stared at his mate. "It scares me so fucking much, babe. And not in the way that I'll get over as soon as I touch my child. In a way that means I just can't do it. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Gregor. Omega mine, I just can't give you this." Eggsy put his hand on the edge of the tub. "Please, don't hate me."

Merlin curled his fingers over Eggsy's. "I don't want a child Eggsy."

"Wot?" Eggsy watched the index finger rub against his knuckles. "I watch you with Daisy, you look like having a child would be everything to you."

Merlin nodded a little. "I wanted to be a mum." He gave Eggsy a look. "And shut up I know that isn't the common word anymore. But I did, a long time ago I thought about babies, and feeding them and snuggling them. Giving them everything. I think I would have been a good mum."

"The best." Eggsy offered quietly.

"But I chose my path, and that path including decades of time to find my mate, and so many experimental drugs, that even 10 years ago it would have been ill advised to risk pregnancy." Merlin kept moving his finger over Eggsy's hand. "What you saw when you spied me with Daisy, and by the way we are working on your stealth, is my acknowledging what could have been once, and making peace with that is not who I am now. Who we are now."  Merlin tugged at him. "Come into the water, alpha." 

Eggsy finished stripping down and slid into the still very hot water, Merlin did like to boil himself. He settled in front of Merlin and let the older man wrap his arms around Eggsy's shoulders. Merlin kissed Eggsy's ear. "Eggsy, I'm old, and I'll die long before ye. And I do nae want to leave a child anymore than ye do. I...it would have been lovely to have your child, to see your smile on a wee bairn. But I know it is nae for us. We are who we are, and we are dangerous broken men."

"Our broken parts matched good."

"They do." Merlin agreed. "You are not denying me anything my alpha by not watching children. No more than I am denying by my inability to have them."

They sat in the water, Merlin's hands soothing his alpha.

"When you had thought of it, what did you name them?"

"Violet for a girl, Aidan for a boy." Merlin laughed a little. "She grew up to hate purple and was in fact allergic to violets, and he went by Dan and became a bloody accountant." 

Eggsy smiled. "They sound nice."

"They were right miserable during their teen years, embarrassed by their poor traditional and out of touch mum. But when Violet got her heart broken she always came to me for cocoa and kung fu revenge movies. Aidan insisted we go to footie matches because that is what men do. And we always left half way through and found a museum to poke through." Merlin sighed. "I would have had five grandbabies to spoil. They would have rubbed my bald head for luck."

"If we had been different people, I would have fucking loved knocking you up during a heat." Eggsy said. "God I would be so over protective, you'd be punching me, knocking me out to just get some peace. Their teachers would have hated me. Wot do you mean you gave my daughter a B? All that." Eggsy leaned back against Merlin and closed his eyes. "You would have been a great mum."

"Once upon a time, aye." Merlin placed a hand over Eggsy's heart. "But all that is dreams. To have that, I would have had to have said no to the Kingsman job. And then I would have nae had you. All the pain, the hiding, the loss - ye have to understand Eggsy, it was worth it to be here. To have this now."

Eggsy shuddered a little. "Omega mine, you give me too much."

"No, I give my alpha his due." Merlin swore.

The water had grown cool and Eggsy sat up. He grinned, though it wasn't quite up to the charming leer he wanted it to be. "We could go to bed and pretend though? Pretend that we're trying for a kid if you like."

Merlin smiled a little and kissed Eggsy's neck. "I'll try any kink once."

Eggsy stood and got out of the tub and dried off and held out a clean towel. "Come on omega, let's try to breed you up right."

Merlin shook his head a little at his adorable alpha but snuggled into the towel and Eggsy's arms.

That night when Merlin was drifting off he felt Eggsy put a hand over his stomach. He linked his fingers, with Eggsy's and squeezed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter but needed it to transition to the last push of the story.

"Booooooooo."

"It's nae that bad." Merlin protested.

"Booooooooo, I say. Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo." Eggsy countered. 

Merlin smirked a little. "Okay the job is shite, but still needs to be done."

"Not for nothing babe but seriously, how is me spending two fucking weeks on a sheep farm in New Zealand important?"

"I've explained. Several times. So has Arthur."

"A sheep farm, Merlin. A sheep farm." Eggsy was flat out pouting.

"Take up knitting."

"Oh fuck you." Eggsy held out a hand. "Give me the damn mission specs."

They spend the afternoon going over what was essentially a babysitting mission and Eggsy bitched the whole time but found a couple holes in the final extraction plans. It wasn't exciting in the least but it did need doing. Eggsy went home first, Merlin had a late meeting with Arthur and he had a nice soup ready when Merlin arrived. Merlin stripped down to his pants.

"Not naked?"

"You really want to eat a boiling hot soup naked?"

Eggsy though about accidental spilling. "Point." He tugged and Merlin's collar and pulled him into a kiss. Merlin smiled at the snog and they settled in to eat, chatting about nothing in particular. Merlin did the dishes and then stripped all the way down and knelt at Eggsy's feet while they watched a movie. He eventually turned and began to gently suck Eggsy's cock, just liking the feel, not hurrying to get Eggsy off and Eggsy gave him scratches along his scalp and they were perfectly content.

The three days before Eggsy left were more of the same, Eggsy bitching about the job, and them cuddling at home. Merlin saw Eggsy off and settled into the estate. He didn't like being at their cottage when Eggsy was away.

His assistant would push him towards a bedroom at night and Arthur would roll his eyes and make him run the obstacle course and Percival put food in front of him. They all realized how much Merlin had relaxed when he and Eggsy had mated. This 18 hour day used to be the norm.

Eggsy's reports were mostly about sheep and how he disliked the guy he was guarding.

By the fourth check in he was naming the sheep.

By the eighth he had decided the sheep were banding together and plotting his death. Roxy overheard this and put a small sheep stuffed animal in his locker for when he got back.

There was no eleventh report.

Arthur was in Merlin's office as Merlin tried to reach Eggsy. "Agent, please respond, your report is two hours overdue." Merlin was typing furiously, he was having difficulty getting the cameras working, the remote location played havoc with his systems.

He got satellite imaging working in time to see the farm house explode.

Merlin felt Arthur's hand grabbed his shoulder. He kept trying to raise Eggsy on the comms, find him anyway he could.

An hour later he barely felt the doctor give him the sedative. Merlin passed out still saying, "Agent please respond."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings for depression, lack of physical and mental care, and moment of brief but extreme violence

"No." Merlin said simply.

Arthur looked at him. "I'm sorry Merlin but it has a been a month." A month where Merlin lost at least a stone, and didn't shave his head, and eyes had sunken. His scent never was anything but bitter. If he slept 4 hours a night it was a miracle.

"I'll nae lead a candidate training to take my mate's seat at the table." Merlin growled. "Ye cannae ask this of me."

"I can. I may hate to, but I can." Arthur looked heartbroken but determined. "And your assistant is just not trained enough to take it over yet."

Merlin looked at him. "I'll nae train a Galahad."

"Merlin, I'm sorry but -"

Merlin shook his head. "That seat has the weight of two dead men in it. No matter what we will nae find another as good as them to fill it."

Arthur conceded that point. "Another name will be chosen." He took a breath. "The training begins in two weeks, I would like you to take that time off."

"I prefer to work." Merlin said dismissively.

"This is a direct order. Take the time off Merlin and go home. I know damn well you haven't been. You've stayed here with his dog the whole time." Arthur put the authority of his position and alpha core into his voice and scent. "Go home and collect yourself. Mourn, go to Scotland." Arthur shook his head. "You are scaring us Merlin. The doctor is worried about your mental state."

Merlin stared at him stone faced. "I will see ye in two weeks, Arthur." he left without another word. He collected JB from the kennel and they walked to the cottage. JB whimpered and Merlin felt his lip quiver a little as well. Roxy had been bringing Merlin clothes and the mail. He stared at the door for 10 minutes before he opened it. 

It smelled empty. Eggsy's scent was gone. His things were there but he wasn't. And wouldn't be again. Merlin collapsed in the hallway and began to sob for the first time since he had seen the farmhouse explode. JB kept licking his ankle and Merlin just sobbed and screamed until he had no more voice and passed out from exhaustion.

For the next three days he ate just enough to survive though he made sure that JB was well taken care of. He was a shadow in his own home and his scent went from bitter to something dangerous. Roxy visited and made excuses after 15 minutes.

She ran back to the estate and pulled Percival into a meeting with Arthur about what she had found.

"Omega mourning distress syndrome." Percival said after a bit. "It is less common these days."

"I don't even know it." Roxy admitted.

"When an alpha and omega are truly perfectly matched and the alpha dies, the omega can spiral. It is both an emotional and physical response." Arthur explained. "Usually though it is seen in couples together decades not less than a year."

"Is he?" Roxy swallowed. "Will he hurt himself, more than he already has?"

"Not likely. But his body could just shut down." Percival looked worried. "There are a few options. He can't snap out of it on his own, there has to be a pull. A created family pack."

"We're his family." Roxy said quickly.

"It isn't the same." Percival explained gently. "There are chemical injections that have had success in some patients. And -" Percival looked to Arthur.

"And?" Roxy asked them.

"And another alpha can imprint over top, the shock of the new mate to the system can jolt it out of its downward spiral. A compassionate bonding. It doesn't necessarily become a relationship, it often fades once the person feels better." Arthur frowned, "But I doubt that he would agree to it, not after everything he went through when he presented his status to us."

"So what, we let him die?" Roxy glared at them.

"We respect him." Percival chided.

"Fuck that, I'm keeping his ass alive." Roxy growled and stormed out. She returned to the cottage and knocked on the door. "Merlin?" she called out. She stepped inside. "Hello?"

"No." Merlin said from the kitchen doorway.

"You shaved your head." It was a little thing, but it felt important. "Have you eaten?"

"I'm nae hungry and no lass. I'll nae allow ye to compassionate bond me." Merlin shook his head. "Nothing will override what is left of Eggsy."

"You might die."

"Then I'll be seeing him again." Merlin said simply.

"Try to fight it. Please." Roxy's eyes pooled with liquid. "I can't lose more."

"Not about ye lass. Be gone back to the estate. Ye need to find a candidate." 

Roxy left without another word.

*****************************************

Merlin returned two days early, having lost even more weight and eyes more sunken. Arthur was ready to hand the training over to the man's assistant but Merlin growled. "I'll do my job."

"Are you even capable of it, could you run the course?"

"Would ye like to try me?" Merlin's scent had gone from bitter and dangerous, to hard as stone, it smelled almost of a dead thing, or near dead clinging to life.

"I'll leave you to your studies of the candidates." Arthur said. But he made sure that he or an agent was near at hand to Merlin.

The candidates arrived and Merlin's scent repulsed them. One cried at it and was scent packing before it could even begin. "If ye are so weak that you cannae get passed an omega who dinnae smell sweet as berries, then how can I expect ye to save the fucking world?" 

Amelia drowned, puppies were picked and Merlin woke up screaming, sweating from night terrors that shook the building.

Merlin walked into the kitchen to make a cup of tea and saw half a dozen agents, his assistant, the doctor, and Arthur all standing around. He put the kettle on. "An intervention is it?"

Arthur stepped forward. "Merlin, you are growing dangerously malnourished and your scent is decaying. Merlin, if you aren't set to rights soon, the damage could be irreversible."

Merlin went through the steps to make a lovely cup of tea. "I would recommend against any of ye alphas touching me." he warned them.

"Merlin you used to be stronger than most of us," Kay began cautiously. "But right now, I don't think you could take down a ten year old."

"Merlin, please let me help you." Roxy begged.

Merlin watched the water boil and poured it over the leaves to steep. "All of ye can go fuck yourselves."

Dinadin smiled a little coldly, a little possessively. "Arthur, I formally declare myself compassionate alpha to Gregor Bothain, in accordance with medical law for protection of omegas." He rolled his shoulders a little. "I am compatible enough to help him through this condition, the doctor has agreed."

Arthur looked over and the man nodded reluctantly.

Merlin poured a cup and added just a hint of milk. "No."

"I'm sorry, but according to the law, you cannot be considered in your right mind." Dinadin explained. "Your body chemistry needs stabilizing by an alpha."

Merlin took a sip of his tea. "My body has an alpha."

"And we all mourn Galahad, Gregor, and we want to honour him by saving you."

"I told ye to never use my name, ye dinnae have my permission." Merlin took another sip. "This is my last warning to all of ye, back away from this path right now."

Dinadin shook his head in a parody of sadness, but Merlin could smell the satisfaction on him. The belief that he would finally put Merlin in his proper place.

But Merlin knew, his proper place was at Eggsy's knees and he would bow his head for no one else ever again.

Dinadin released his full alpha scent expecting it to floor the greatly weakened Merlin and he moved into Merlin's space.

Merlin threw his tea in the man's face, headbutted him, and used the strength he had left, fueled by his desire to remain as Eggsy's until he died and sunk his teeth into Dinadin's throat. He bit hard, pressing deep and tearing across. Merlin wasn't satisfied by the scream the man made. He honestly barely noticed it. He sunk his teeth in again and again, and tore his throat apart until Percival and Bors pulled him off. They dragged Merlin back and Merlin had to spit out the chunk of skin in his mouth.

The doctor hurried over but Merlin had severed an artery, mangled it beyond saving.

Dinadin bled out on their kitchen floor.

Merlin licked his lips.

"Arthur, I resign." Merlin coughed a little on the blood in his mouth. 

Percival and Bors very carefully stepped back from him.

Merlin went to the bathroom and wiped the blood off of his face. He put on clean clothes and collected JB. He took the bullet train into the city and then made his way to a door he had been avoiding for far too long. He knocked carefully and realized he had no strength left.

Michelle opened the door. Harry's old door. Oh, she smelled a bit like Eggsy. She had some shadows under eyes, but didn't look like the walking corpse that Merlin did.

"Oh honey, why did you stay away?" Michelle cupped his face.

"I couldn't -" Merlin couldn't really form words. "I -" he swayed a little. He looked into her eyes. The warmth in them, that was Eggsy's warmth. "I don't want to die." he managed to say. "Please, I need a pack, his pack to help me."

"We're here, we've got you." Michelle promised. She managed to steer him to a couch before he passed out.

When he woke, everything hurt. His body, his heart. His scent. It was so vile. But there was a lighter hint near by.

He opened his eyes and saw Daisy on the ground. She held up a picture. "I drew you the universe, like how you gave me for my ceiling." she smiled. "Mama says we're going to fix your heart. That our hearts can fix yours."

"I hope so. I want it to be so." Merlin said.

"I miss him."

"I miss him too, lass."

"Missing him together will make it easier right?"

Merlin took a breath. "Aye, it will." 

Merlin began to weep and Daisy dried his tears with her stuffed bunny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear next chapter we fix this


	14. Chapter 14

Merlin quietly put the book on the table and stood up. He was sure Daisy was asleep. He moved to the door.

"You can't leave without saying goodbye." Daisy's voice was small, barely awake. "Always say goodbye." This had been so important to her over the last three months.

Merlin returned to her and kissed her forehead. "My darling. My little heart. I bid you goodbye."

"K." she yawned and drifted off.

In Italian, Merlin whispered,  _be good my heart, be strong, be fearless, grow up to be everything he would want you to be. We'll meet again, one day._

Merlin went downstairs and made a cup of tea.

"You can't leave without saying goodbye." Michelle said, shutting her laptop.

"That's what Daisy said."

"Well she's a smart girl." Michelle took the cup he offered. "And eat a cookie, you are still a little underweight."

"Not as much as I was." But he ate a cookie.

"You smell almost normal." Michelle took a cookie herself. "And you are going to ruin that." she looked him dead in the eye. "Don't go."

"I have to."

"Why, we just got you better."

"That is why I am going." Merlin explained.

"Back to work."

Merlin shook his head. "Nae. I no longer belong there. They could nae trust me after what I did."

"Bet some would." Michelle nodded with certainty. "You've been working out harder the last month, been on your computer more." she was quiet. "Have you found him?" She didn't dare hope.

"No." Merlin shook his head. "But my assistant sent me some interesting information. They figured out who destroyed the farmhouse. For various reasons the Kingsmen will nae seek revenge. But I will."

"What will that accomplish Gregor? It won't bring him back."

"Nae, but it will make me feel better." Merlin looked at her. "My job, we only took a life to save another. But I am nae constrained by those rules anymore. I will take a hundred lives for the one that was taken."

"Can't you stay and be happy here with us? Daisy can't lose more, I can't lose more." Michelle pleaded.

"If I was an alpha whose omega had been murdered, would you be trying to hold me back?"

"For Daisy's sake, yes."

Merlin smiled. "I'm sorry. I need to."

Michelle nodded. She stood up and disappeared and came back a little later. She handed him a box. "Lee's gun. Always kept it, knew I had to, but never touched the thing, it...it wasn't for me to use, no matter the times I wanted to. Does that make sense at all?"

"Aye." Merlin held the box carefully. "I'll return if I am able. Send word if I can."

Michelle hugged him gently. "What's that stupid internet saying Eggsy found hilarious?"

"I will face god and walk backwards into hell." Merlin laughed a little.

"Yeah. That's it. Pave your way with their blood then." she squeezed him tight.

In the morning she held Daisy close while she sobbed at the loss of her Merlin.

*****************************************

Arthur stared at Merlin. "I don't understand."

She smiled coldly. "Well sir, it seems since all of you decided to sit on your collective comfortable alpha asses, someone decided to do your job for you." 

"You and I do not have the relationship yet for insubordination."

"Actually, if we were officially a government body what I've done goes beyond insubordination and might be treasonous." she hummed a little. "You should ask me if I care. Or the dozen others helping me care." she dropped several files on his desk. "Vienna. Sri Lanka. Caracas. All destroyed, not a alpha, beta, or omega left in those cells of the Riders of Alpha Righteousness. And also, can we talk about how horrible a name that is. It must piss them off that an omega is killing them all."

"The former Merlin is doing this. Who did he hire? How large is his team?" Arthur hammered the questions at her. He didn't understand when she laughed.

"How is it you all still fuck up? He was Merlin. He was stronger than all of you. Both in fighting and in tactics. And these fuckers blew up the mate he finally found after 30 years of sacrifice. He doesn't need help beyond the intel and gun drops we give him." she looked at Arthur. "He's doing what you lot consider too extreme and is just the fucking harbinger of what needs to be done. So either you all can alpha the fuck up and help him or leave us alone to do what needs to be done to support the man we frankly trust more than all of you."

Arthur nodded and handed her back the files. "As you were."

She nodded. "Thank you, sir."

*****************************************

"Hello Roxy." Merlin said. He put his newspaper down.

"Hello Gregor." she sat and looked at him. "Your face." she stared in shock.

"I think the scar quite becoming actually." Merlin said. It had healed fairly well, considering he had to stitch it himself. It cut across his cheek, he had been lucky to not lose his eye. "Certainly more roguish than the ones on my back." He had been caught in Cairo and held for a week before he broke free. That had taken weeks to heal from. His former assistant had managed to find him a nurse who helped and hidden him.

"The Kingsmen would like you to come home." Roxy tried not to sound too heartbroken. This Merlin, it was someone she didn't know. He was hard, even harder than the day they took down Valentine.

"No." he answered simply.

"We can help."

"How? Will ye finish this job?"

"Merlin this is murder."

"They've murdered plenty. Trafficked more."

"And we are working on it."

Merlin laughed hollowly. "Working on it. How charming."

"We can finish this for you."

"I'm tired of how all of you help." he shook his head. "Nae lass. I will see this to the end, one way or the other."

"We were just trying to save you."

"I managed to save myself."

"Merlin."

"Not any longer." Merlin put some money down and stood up. 

"Here." Roxy held up a bag. "The new Merlin sent you this. Intel and equipment for the last cell in Moscow. Please let me help."

"Ye can help by keeping an eye of Michelle and Daisy. It is what he would have wanted." Merlin kissed her head. "Smartest witch for your age." he left her there and two blocks later ditched the bag that he knew was bugged. No way did his old team send stuff along with an agent.

*******************************

They had finally been prepared for him and it was a hard fight through the huge house. He was bleeding a fair bit, but nothing too dangerous. Not yet, and it wasn't like he cared if he died here. Still he had managed to work his way through the majority of the building, killing and laying charges to blow the place to hell. He looked around the corner and there were ten men blocking a door. So that must be where this ended. He threw a smoke grenade and attacked. It was a short brutal fight and they managed to put two bullets in him, a through and through in his arm and one he could feel sitting in his shoulder. He stomped on a man's neck and politely knocked on the door.

"Please, come in Mr Bothain." a voice called out.

Merlin walked and saw a man sitting behind a desk. There was a sheet covering it, large lumps underneath.

"A bribe is it then, to let ye live?" Merlin sneered. "And what do ye think ye can offer to have me nae eat your heart?"

"Just this." he said. He pulled the sheet off and Merlin swayed and had to grab a chair.

Eggsy blinked as well as he could with one eye swelled shut. He tried to speak but couldn't. He mouthed " _mine, my omega."_

"Now then let's open negotiations shall we?" the man said. 

Merlin sat down very carefully. "Let's."


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> again a short one, but i didn't want to leave people hanging.

Eggsy hurt. So damn much it had grown hard to catalogue. He just kept track of stuff that he knew was permanent, whip marks, cigarette burns, they'd scar but they'd heal.

His left leg was a mass of scar tissue from fire and his knee was a wreck, he'd need a cane, maybe a wheelchair. Likewise his right hand, his fingers would need to be reset and maybe one day he'd be able to bend the pinkie and ring finger, but he doubted. Worst off all happened a month ago. They finally believed him that he wouldn't talk.

So they took his voice. A tidy surgery with the best medical care and voice box destroyed. He couldn't figure out why they had kept him alive.

Only now as he stared at his mate he realized. He was leverage. 

Eggsy kept looking at his omega. He was skinny, and yet somehow more muscled. He had a scar on his cheek, was covered in blood and looked like a demon sent from hell.

Got his mate was fucking perfect.

But he couldn't stop himself from mouthing, GO - RUN. But Merlin wasn't taking his eyes off the man behind Eggsy. Eggsy thought he should pay attention. But it was so hard to focus they always kept him on the edge of dehydration and starvation but never tipped him all the way over.

"You have caused me a great deal of trouble, omega." Eggsy heard behind him. "And here I offer you your pathetic alpha and all you have to do is walk away. Unless -"

"Unless what?" Fuck it was good to hear Merlin's voice.

"Unless you are interested in an alpha actually worthy of you. I admit, you intrigue me." the rise of alpha hunger made Eggsy choke. "He's fairly broken at this point. I could offer you the world."

Eggsy didn't even see where the knife came from, he just could hear a gurgle from behind him and the thunk of the body sliding off the chair. "I already have the world ye bastard." Merlin moved in front of Eggsy. "My alpha, oh my alpha, forgive me for not finding ye earlier." Merlin walked around the table and cut the ropes. He saw the mess of scars on Eggsy's back. "They do have a fondness for whips don't they? Can ye stand?"

Eggsy shrugged a bit he had no idea. He let Merlin help him sit up. He heard the groan and raised a questioning hand. 

"A couple bullet wounds. I'm fine enough to get us out of here." Merlin was looking him over. Eggsy wanted to cover his body. Merlin looked at his leg, the pants hiding little. "We'll get ye to medical. They owe us."

 _Who's with you? Roxy?_ Eggsy mouthed.

"Ye need water, how long since ye've spoken?" Merlin was looking around the room. Eggsy grasped Merlin's hand and held it to his throat. Merlin felt the scar. "Oh my boy. My alpha. The pain I've visited on them is nae enough." Merlin pressed his forehead to Eggsy's. "Eggsy. Eggsy."

Eggsy held tight to Merlin for a moment and then let go and tried to stand. He collapsed against his mate. He tried to protest when Merlin picked him up, he knew Merlin was injured, but Merlin just ran out the back and through the small bit of woods, coming to a car. He drove hard and fast. Eggsy couldn't understand how easily they got away. He kept looking over his shoulder.

"Trust me, my alpha. I thought they had killed ye. There is nae a man left alive in their organization." Merlin licked his lips. "I have been a mite focused on my revenge."

Eggsy's laugh was silent, he was sure that was an understatement.

"Sleep lad, we'll be at a safe house soon. England after that."

Home. Eggsy leaned against the window. He wasn't sure it was a real thing. That this was a real thing. But he was tired of nightmares, a nice dream would be lovely.

******************************************

It smelled different. Different than his blood, vomit, and piss. It smelled like clean, and hospital, and Merlin. And another, he knew it but he was drawing a blank.

"Get out."

"He's my friend. I wanted to see him." Girl. Strong. Alpha. Roxy.

"We are here for the medical care and then we will be gone."

"So what, you are just happy to use us?"

"Aye." Merlin's voice was sharp. "Ye are goddamn right I am using ye. Eggsy was injured, tortured, doing the job and the job will fix what can be fixed. And we'll be gone again."

"And if he wants to stay? You're so big on personal choice, what if he decides he still wants to work for the Kingsmen in some capacity?"

Eggsy tapped on a table to get there attention. Merlin's head snapped. "My alpha." Eggsy gave a small wave. He saw his fingers in splints. He gave a wave to Roxy.

"Eggsy." she sighed. She looked tired. "We are so happy to have you back."

Eggsy could see Merlin flinch a little at that. He wondered what had happened. Merlin stood and said he would get the doctor. He left with a glare at Roxy. Eggsy watched her come closer. She held out a hand and he took it. "Eggsy, we had no idea you were alive, we all saw the explosion and Merlin kept looking and there just was no sign of you. We would have come in guns blazing if we had known you were alive."

Eggsy frowned, Merlin had come in guns blazing.

Merlin. Alone. And he had said it was revenge. He didn't understand it all. He pulled his hand slowly away and mimed writing. Roxy handed him a tablet and he typed.

_Why was Merlin alone?_

Roxy frowned. "He...didn't handle your death well and one day he upped and disappeared. It was a while before Arthur realized the support staff was feeding him information and weapons and Merlin was destroying cells."

 _They were bad, why weren't you eliminating them_?

"You know it isn't as simple as that. We were working a lot of avenues and there other situations that arose. If we had had a hint, you were alive. Merlin didn't even know, that was just the next place on his list. There are a couple small cells left and we are dealing with them to make sure you stay safe."

 _Who was sent out? Not that wanker Dinadin, no way would he be out there to protect me._ Eggsy laughed a little, but Roxy went pale. He tapped her hand.

Roxy shook her head. "He's passed."

Eggsy hung his head. He hated the guy but didn't wish that on him.

"Tell Eggsy how he passed Roxy." Merlin said at the door, with the doctor just behind him.

"Does it matter right now?" Roxy asked.

Eggsy looked at everyone. Merlin's smile was chilling.

"Do you really want him to know that about you?" Roxy tried.

"Oh I don't mind my mate knowing that I was suffering from mourning and near death and when my friends and coworkers were prepared to force a compassionate bond on me I ripped the man's throat out with my teeth." Merlin ran his tongue over his teeth. "I can almost still taste his blood."

Roxy paled.

Eggsy had no idea how he felt. He decided to focus on something else. He looked to the doctor and held up his hands in question.

The doctor skirted around Roxy and Merlin. "Eggsy. We are glad you are alive. Simple to worst?" Eggsy nodded. "Malnourished, dehydrated, we've pumped you full of saline and some broad spectrum antibiotics to deal with any infections in the wounds covering your body. You are covered in bruises, and scars, we had to lance a few and stitch a few others. We did your blood work, all clear there. Your fingers were reset and have a chance of regaining some mobility. You leg, well there is plastic surgery and your knee will require another surgery and even then you are looking at a lot of therapy, walking with a brace and cane for the rest of your life." The doctor looked at Eggsy with sympathy. "I'm sorry, but there is nothing we can do for your vocal chords, the work was too well done and you've long since healed." 

Eggsy nodded and the doctor left. He felt a tear slip.

"Look what you did." Roxy hissed to Merlin. "Eggsy, we're all here for you."

 _Rox, just go, okay_?

Roxy looked at the words on the tablet. "Of course. Merlin and I will go." 

Eggsy shook his head and pointed at Roxy and the door. He then pointed at Merlin and the bed he was on. 

"You need rest."

"My mate needs ye to fuck right off." Merlin said. He grabbed Roxy's arm and escorted her out and locked the door. He came back over and sat on the bed. "What do ye need Eggsy."

All Eggsy could do was shrug.

Merlin kicked off his shoes and lay on the bed, away from Eggsy. At first Eggsy didn't understand why his mate wouldn't look at him. And then the scent of his omega filled his nose. He moved himself slowly, carefully and pressed his nose to the gland, to where the mark of his teeth was. He breathed in.

He really was free. With his mate.

They'd figure it all out later. Right now, this was what mattered.

He kept breathing in that burnt caramel scent and wept for everything that had been lost.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading.

Eggsy kept waking up to it being anyone but his mate.

Nurse, Doctor, Rox, and now Arthur. 

 _Where's Merlin_ , Eggsy typed.

Arthur looked pained. "We asked him to leave, his presence was causing a bit of a ruckus between support staff and agents." He held up a hand as Eggsy began to type furiously. "He agreed, saying he wanted to help your mother look for a new living arrangement."

Eggsy shrugged and gestured, confused.

"Merlin and she agreed that they no longer wanted to live in housing provided by the Kingsman." Arthur crossed his legs. "Before Merlin went on his rampage they had been living together. It seemed to have saved his life, they've become quit friendly."

 _There better have not been an implication in there_. Eggsy typed furiously.

"Of course not, omegas in mourning are their own breed." 

Eggsy glared at him some more.

"We are of course happy to have you remain on with the Kingsman in some fashion. I heavily regret how all of this has played out." he sighed.

Eggsy realized how tired the man looked, haggard.

 _Hey, not your fault_.

"No, it wasn't. Not your capture at least. But so many things after were. Things I will deeply regret for a long time." he smiled a little. "Merlin has refused all offers to return to work for us. He is receiving his pension, but it seems he is donating most of that to charity, he has investments enough to see him well through. I had hoped that perhaps you could convince him to return."

Eggsy shook his head.

"We'd be poorer for the loss of both of you. The world would be poorer for the loss of both of you."

Eggsy looked at Arthur carefully. He tapped his throat and pointed at his leg in the brace.  _Fuck the world_ , he typed.

Arthur nodded. "I will arrange for 500,000 thousand pounds to be transferred to your bank account. And additional 25,000 will be deposited yearly for the next 15 years."

 _Arthur, I don't regret being a Kingsman, not a bit, but I just can't be here and not be an agent. And I can't be here without him_.

"I understand." Arthur stood up and held out a hand. "I sincerely wish you and Merlin well."

Eggsy gave him a grin. It almost looked like his old cocky one.

*************************************

Roxy was helping Eggsy out to the car. "You need to stay longer."

Eggsy shook his head. He was itching to be gone from the estate. Merlin had been barely visiting, he hatred for the place made it difficult to linger, plus he was busy making a new home for them all. 

"Your need more therapy."

 _I need my mate, my family_ , he typed and held up the pad for Roxy to see.

"He's being stubborn. Mistakes were made be we've been trying to fix them." 

_He's being stubborn. Have you actually said sorry and meant it?_

Roxy couldn't respond to that.

Eggsy shook his head.  _Sorry Rox, save the world a bunch for me, will you?_

"I'll see you, you'll come for tea."

He nodded, and knew he had no intentions of doing so. He didn't hate them like his mate seemed to, but he knew that he had no place with them anymore and would rather the clean break. He pushed himself up out of the wheelchair and kissed her cheek before getting into the back of the car. He waved but once they started moving, didn't look back.

"Taking you to Middlesex sir, been helping Merlin prepare the new house for you. Needs some work, it does, but a good place to heal." The driver was quiet the rest of the way as he pulled up to an older house with a good bit of garden around it.

And there were his girls.

The driver helped Eggsy out of the car and gave him crutches. "Welcome home sir." He clapped Eggsy on the shoulder and went to get his couple bags.

His mum held a hand to her mouth and was trying not to cry. Daisy ran up to him but at the last second remembered all the lectures on not to jump on him.

"Hi, Eggsy. We have a new house to make you all better. It's big. It has ugly walls in some rooms."

Michelle walked over. "It needs some work." she added. "A project for all of us to heal with." A few tears fell. "Oh my boy, my brave, wonderful boy." Michelle leaned in and kissed his cheek, breathed in his scent.

"I can hug him now right?" Daisy asked.

Eggsy nodded at her and she hugged his leg so very gently. "You can have sleepy bunny to keep you company at night."

He mouthed thank you, and tried not to notice how his mum's face fell at that. They got him into the house into a great room that looked over the back garden. Merlin was raking, shirtless. Eggsy smirked a little at the sight.

"Thought you might like the view." Michelle joked. "We'll make you a cuppa."

Eggsy sat on the couch and watched Merlin rake and clean out dead branches, it was oddly soothing. He ignored the cuppa that his mum had left for him and drifted off into a nap watching his mate.

****************************

He woke up screaming but there was no noise. He expected to see he was back in the cell, that the weeks had just be a detailed dream. But it was the house he didn't know. And Merlin was at his shoulder trying to wake him.

"Alpha, my alpha, please, stay with me. Come back to us. Ye are safe." Merlin was babbling, trying to comfort. 

Eggsy couldn't stop the sobs, and he clutched Merlin. Merlin picked him up and took him to the bathroom and put him in a soothing shower, throwing the wet clothes into the hamper to worry about later. Eggsy sat on the floor of the shower and stared at his mangled leg. He wanted to talk to Merlin and couldn't. He was happy that the water hid his tears.

Merlin soaped him down gently. "All of us are signed up for sign language classes at the community centre near by." he said. "And the PT at the hospital starts next week."

Eggsy nodded.

"They held me for a week." Merlin said quietly. Eggsy had seen the scars and hadn't wanted to ask. "So I had a small taste of what was done to ye, but a week cannae compare to months. But they didn't break ye, my love. Scraped at the edges some, frayed, but nae broken."

Eggsy tried to disagree.

Merlin kissed him. "And even if they had, well I am good at putting puzzles together. We'd find all the pieces and make them fit."

Eggsy just leaned back against the tile and let his omega take care of him.

******************************

The quiet was good, the space was better. Eggsy was down to 3 nightmares a week, Merlin maybe one. He could walk with a brace and a cane and they were all getting better at signing.

But something was missing.

It took him a while to realize it. 

 _Merlin, you are never naked_ , Eggsy said one night in their room.

"Nae." he said. "When I moved in, I was sometimes naked." he took a breath. "With your mother." he paused.

Eggsy just gestured, he wasn't jumping to any conclusions.

"I was...near death is the kindest way to phrase it. And skin to skin with another omega connected to ye, helped. It is an old therapy, for mourning. But once I wasn't so desperate and Daisy joined in, I wore pants or pajamas." Merlin shrugged. "I am fine."

 _No you aren't_.

"Well we'll worry about me, once ye are set to rights." Merlin said bracingly.

Eggsy signed slowly,  _I order you to take as good care of yourself as you are of me_. He watched Merlin crumble right in front of him at those words. He reached out carefully to his omega, he hadn't expected such a response. But Merlin was sobbing, burrowing into Eggsy.

"I na'er thought ye'd give me an order again." Merlin was struggling for air, his fingers clutching at Eggsy's skin as the dam broke and everything poured out of him. He finally talked thinking Eggsy was dead, and the Kingsmen, and his path of revenge. Eggsy realized just how much pain his mate was in. He had been so focused on his own, he missed all the scraped edges on Merlin.

He pressed against Merlin's neck and scraped his nails over his claim mark. Merlin immediately stopped his babbling and whimpered.

Oh.

OH.

He scraped again and there were more whimpers. He hands changed from soothing to arousing.

All he wanted to do was whisper that he was here, that he was fine, that they would be fine. But he couldn't. He pulled Merlin a bit away from him and cupped his face.

 _Gregor, my omega_. He mouthed carefully.  _My heart_. He pressed his hand to his chest and to Merlin's. Eggsy quirked a brow and smiled a bit. He added an eyebrow wiggle.

Merlin laughed a little. "Aye, my alpha. Aye, I could use a little attention, but I dinnae want to impose."

Eggsy gave him a stern look and a finger wag.

"We need to work our way back to that, I thought."

Eggsy tapped Merlin's forehead and shook his head. He tapped his own and nodded.

"This is yours to think about, I know but -" Merlin bit his lip.

Eggsy soothed the bite and pushed Merlin to lay down. He ran his fingers over Merlin's body and breathed in the scent of slick and contented off his mate. He realized that they both needed this. It was slow, languid, all gentle touches and relearning his omega's body that was still a little too lean for comfort.

Eggsy brought him off just with fingers, content to watch and ignore his own erection.

After Merlin looked at him. "Please my alpha."

Eggsy signed  _what do you need_?

"Like our first after the claiming." he whispered. "I...may I please have your knot in my mouth?"

Eggsy nodded and they arranged themselves on the bed carefully.

Merlin looked at him with such contentment when he was rendered immobile. Eggsy couldn't talk him through it anymore and that hurt so much. But he caressed Merlin's jaw and played some music.

It wasn't the same, but it didn't mean they couldn't figure out who they were now.

****************************************

They were in the heart of the city to see a play, Merlin was devastating in a suit and Eggsy had a pretty awesome cane. It was a fun and romantic night and Eggsy was wondering if he could convince Merlin they should rent a hotel room, instead of heading home.

"Eggsy!" Roxy called out stunned.

Merlin tensed a little and Eggsy cupped his neck to soothe him.

Eggsy waved at her and she came over and hugged him. 

"You look amazing." she stared at him, surprised. No Kingsman had seen them in months and she had to admit that she had expected him to look, well less.

 _Thanks, PT has gone well, so has therapy, we built a small greenhouse, I grow flowers_.

"I'm sorry, I don't know sign language." Roxy frowned.

"He's telling ye about the flowers he grows. And that his various therapies have gone well."

"Oh." Roxy was puzzled. "Isn't that a little boring?"

Eggsy shook his head. It would have been before, but now, it felt good.

"We supply a flower shop a little bit, Daisy's class comes every other week to help and learn. I do some web design for the neighborhood shops. We are well occupied." Merlin explained. Eggsy leaned in and nuzzled his omega. Occupied was a word for it.

"You could come back whenever you like, we'd love to have you."

Eggsy smiled and kissed her cheek and shook his head. He held Merlin's hand and they walked away. He was pleased when Merlin drove them to a hotel.  _You read my mind_ , he signed.

"Or we just think very much alike." Merlin grinned.

The moment they were in the room, Eggsy pointed and Merlin stripped down while he poured them both drinks. He turned and watched Merlin crawl over to him. He scratched Merlin's neck as he knelt.

They stayed in contented silence.

"Do ye miss it?" Merlin asked quietly.

Eggsy tapped him, so that Merlin looked up.  _No Gregor, I have everything I need._

"Still, we do lead a quiet life, there could be ways to -"

Eggsy bent to kiss him, to silence him.

 _My omega, we are everything I need_. He signed when they broke apart. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out Merlin's collar, the he had taken off when he had went for revenge and not put on again.

It hadn't been his place.

Eggsy's hand shook a little and he locked it into place. 

Merlin just rested his head against Eggsy's scared and mangled knee and kissed it, worshipped each line.

Eggsy sipped his whiskey.

It was enough.

It was everything.


End file.
